Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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512 rows where state = "HI" and year = 2015 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/-hirono-encourages-cofa-citizens-in-hawaii-to-utilize-extended-health-care-insurance-enrollment-period | Hirono Encourages COFA Citizens In Hawaii To Utilize Extended Health Care Insurance Enrollment Period | 2015-12-24 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Encourages COFA Citizens In Hawaii To Utilize Extended Health Care Insurance Enrollment Period Thursday, December 24, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono encourages eligible Hawaii residents from the Compact of Free Association (COFA) nations to enroll in health care coverage following the announcement that the enrollment period has been extended to February 15, 2016. Earlier this month, Senator Hirono led a Hawaii delegation letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell (http://1.usa.gov/1m8ddXl) to request a special enrollment period for COFA citizens in Hawaii due to the challenges experienced with the enrollment process on healthcare.gov. Senator Hirono spoke with Acting Administrator for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Andy Slavitt about how the call center hours and site maintenance downtime disadvantaged Hawaiis COFA citizens because of the time difference and the need to approve certified language translators. CMS today announced the special enrollment period with retroactive coverage. It is critical that residents from COFA nations have the ability to sign up for health care insurance to take care of themselves and their families. This extension is just the latest effort in our state's long-standing tradition of providing health care coverage for all, said Senator Hirono. I thank everyone who has diligently worked on this issue, particularly Governor Ige, my colleagues in the Hawaii congressional delegation, and especially Secretary Burwell and Acting CMS Administrator Slavitt for addressing the issues that Hawaiis COFA citizens face during this transition. We will continue our efforts to facilitate the process to help these individuals and their families to make sure everyone has health care coverage.And while the enrollment period has been extended by 60 days, I am encouraging our Micronesian community to sign up without delay. This is truly a Christmas gift to those families who missed the enrollment deadline. On behal… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/op-ed-failing-our-own-national-guard-magazine | Op-Ed: Failing Our Own (National Guard Magazine) | 2015-12-20 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Talia Williams was 5 years old when she was beaten to death by her father after suffering months of abuse at home. Despite multiple reports to officials at the Army base in Hawaii where Talia lived with her father and stepmother, the system in place failed to protect her. Sadly, her case was not isolated. Talias story is just one of more than 29,000 cases of child abuse and neglect in military homes over the last decade. Keegan Metz was 23 months old when he was raped and murdered by his parents in Tennessee in 2009. Malik Ray was 10 when he was tortured to death by his stepfather in Oklahoma in 2010. Two-month old Harmonee Elam was beaten to death in Colorado in 2011 by her father. The list goes on and on. Normally, physicians, psychologists, social workers, teachers and other professionals who work closely with children are required to report any suspected cases of child abuse and neglect directly to State Child Protective Services. But in the military, Family Advocacy Programs in each service conduct their own investigations and assessments. While they are required to make a military point of contact or military law enforcement aware of suspected abuse cases, they are not required to report them directly to State Child Protective Services. In Talias case, Hawaii Child Protective Services was never notified of the multiple reports of her abuse. Numerous people around Talia recognized signs she was being abusedneighbors who heard her screaming for hours, day-care workers who recognized marks on her skin, and even military police who came to Talias home and found her imprisoned in her room with scratches covering her face. These reports, however, stayed within the Army chain of command, and ultimately nothing was done to take her out of harms way. Ten years after Talias tragic death, the same problematic policies exist within the militarys reporting requirements, and rates of child abuse and neglect in military families continue to rise. I introduced Talias Law (H.R. 3894) this year to change this flawed policy a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/legislation-championed-by-schatz-to-make-clean-energy-more-affordable-signed-into-law | Legislation Championed by Schatz to Make Clean Energy More Affordable Signed Into Law | 2015-12-20 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Legislation Championed by Schatz to Make Clean Energy More Affordable Signed Into Law Sunday, December 20, 2015 Honolulu, HIOn Friday, President Obama signed into law legislation to extend a tax credit that helps families pay for residential clean energy equipment, such as solar photovoltaics and solar hot water heaters, for five years. U.S.Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) first introduced legislation,S.1755, to extend the Residential Energy Efficient Property Tax Credit, also known as 25D. Schatz then worked to include the five-year tax credit extension into the omnibus spending bill, which passed the Senate on Friday. At a time when more and more families in Hawaii and across the country are cutting their utility bills by transitioning to clean energy, this bill is just commonsense,saidSenatorSchatz.As we continue to move toward a clean energy economy, we need to continue finding sound solutions like clean energy tax credits that are both good for familiesin Hawaii and across the country,andforour energy security. As part of the bipartisan deal, the tax credit will remain 30 percent through 2019, and then will become 26 percent for 2020 and 22 percent for 2021. An estimated 97,000 Americans are now employed installing solar energy systems across our country. While the price of solar panels have decreased by more than 60 percent since 2011, the demand has soared.In 2014, more than 1,200 megawatts of residential solar were installed and 32 percent of all new electric generating capacity in the U.S. came from solar energy. It is clear that residents across our country are eager to find cheaper and cleaner ways to produce energy. Senator Schatz's legislation, which was introduced earlier this year, was cosponsored by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Al Franken (D-Minn.). Residents can learn more about how to access this tax credithere. Press Contact | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-votes-avert-government-shutdown-grow-our-economy | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Votes to Avert Government Shutdown, Grow Our Economy | 2015-12-19 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCRep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) released the statement below following her votes in favor of the Fiscal Year 2016 omnibus spending and tax extender legislative packages. The tax extender package passed with a vote of 318-109. The omnibus funding legislation passed with a vote of 316-113. Both were considered as amendments to H.R. 2029, which the Senate then took up and passed by a vote of 65-33. The President signed the legislation into law shortly afterward. Today, we averted a potential government shut down. I voted to keep the government open, take care of 9/11 first responders, protect our environment, and empower working families and small businesses, encouraging long-term growth across the country. The year-end omnibus spending bill and tax extender packages are far from perfect, but they represent a compromise between both parties and a strong economic package. They avoid the detrimental alternatives of either a shutdown or a continuing resolution, which would have had a devastating impact on our communities, and on our military and national security. There are critical investments across the state of Hawai'i that are funded in this bill, such as rural development projects that serve local businesses and communities, maintenance and improvements for our highways, public transportation and infrastructure, land and water conservation projects for at-risk forests on Hawai'i Island and O'ahu, and education grants for Native Hawaiian students and families, to name just a few. "One in eight of our keiki in Hawai'i live in poverty, and the permanent extension of the Earned Income and Child Care Tax Credits will help thousands of middle- and low-income local families pay their bills and put food on the table. Local businesses, students, teachers, working families, and the environment will benefit from the extension of tax credits for higher education, energy efficiency, renewable energy, research and development, and more. The omnibus spending bill rejected Wall Street big banks' attempts… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/hawaiis-congressional-delegation-pleased-with-budget-deal | Hawaii’s Congressional Delegation Pleased With Budget Deal | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hawaiis Congressional Delegation Pleased With Budget Deal By: Chad Blair Friday, December 18, 2015 In addition to the national security funding and money for veterans, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono said she supported the measures investment in middle-class families, particularly making the Earned Income, Child, and American Opportunity tax credits permanent. She said ina press releasethat an analysis by Citizens for Tax Justice shows some 52,000 Hawaii families with over 100,000 children benefit from the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits, which help to boost incomes by an average of $1,150 a year. The appropriations and tax package approved by Congress is very much a hard-fought, bipartisan compromise, Hirono said the release. I have deep concerns about ending the ban on U.S. oil exports. However, Republicans also unsuccessfully sought a host of other policy changes that were even worse for our environment, our economy, and our nation, she said. Taken together, the benefits of this bill for Hawaii outweigh the costs and I concluded it was an agreement that I could support. Hirono was also supportive of the $22 billion for Pell Grants that theappropriations billprovides. She said 23,000 Hawaii students rely on this money to pay for college. Read the entire piece at:http://www.civilbeat.com/2015/12/hawaiis/ | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-supports-budget-deal-that-benefits-hawaii | Hirono Supports Budget Deal That Benefits Hawaii | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Supports Budget Deal That Benefits Hawaii Omnibus Package Includes Wide Range Of Funding For Hawaii Programs & Priorities Friday, December 18, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono today supported the bipartisan omnibus package, a $1.1 trillion bill that funds the government, including a number of programs that will help Hawaii families, through September. The measure also provides tax relief for individuals and businesses and renews incentives for clean energy. The bill passed the Senate 65-33. The appropriations and tax package approved by Congress is very much a hard fought, bipartisan compromise. I have deep concerns about ending the ban on U.S. oil exports. However, Republicans also unsuccessfully sought a host of other policy changes that were even worse for our environment, our economy, and our nation, said Senator Hirono. The final agreement invests in Hawaiis future, and will help families and small businesses succeed by making some key tax credits permanent, fully funding programs that create educational opportunity and improve our communities, and making critical investments in national security and our veterans. Taken together, the benefits of this bill for Hawaii outweigh the costs and I concluded it was an agreement that I could support. Senator Hirono released her top 10 reasons that the federal budget bill will benefit Hawaii: 1. Makes Permanent Key Supports for Middle Class Families: The bill makes the Earned Income, Child, and American Opportunity tax credits permanent including the enhancements made to the credits in 2009. According to analysis by Citizens for Tax Justice, approximately 52,000 Hawaii families with over 100,000 children benefit from the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits, which help to boost incomes by an average of $1,150 a year. Senator Hirono meets a Maui family 2. Keeping Our Commitment to Veterans: The bill adds $6.4 billion more than last years budget to a wide range of programs that Sen. Hirono has championed to … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/defense-transportation-funding-to-rise-in-appropriations-deal | Defense, Transportation Funding to Rise in Appropriations Deal | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Defense, Transportation Funding to Rise in Appropriations Deal Schatz, a Member of the Appropriations Committee, Calls This Good News for Hawaii Thursday, December 17, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, congressional appropriators released a bipartisan spending deal that will increase federal spending in Hawaii for fiscal year 2016. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, advanced Hawaii priorities during committee consideration this year, which are now reflected in the final deal. Overall, defense spending in Hawaii will increase by more than $200 million, and transportation funding will increase by nearly $10 million. Im pleased we were able to help secure an across-the-board increase in federal investments for Hawaii, said Senator Schatz. I know that people are paying particular attention to defense and transportation, and we did exceptionally well there. Military construction in Hawaii is fully funded at $444 million. These important investments are approximately $200 million above last years funding level, a reflection that the Department of Defense (DoD) is continuing to invest in the facilities, capabilities, and infrastructure that are necessary in Hawaii to support the rebalance to the Asia Pacific. Hawaii highway and transportation funding will increase 13 percent by 2020. In addition to $250 million for the Honolulu rail project, Hawaii is receiving annual increases in funding for roads, bridges, buses, and bike paths to reduce congestion, make our roads safer and our communities more walkable. Defense and transportation projects include: Military Construction$444 million. $123.8 millionfor a new Behavioral Health and Dental Clinic at Schofield Barracks that will help improve the capacity of the base to help service members get the care they need; $122.1 millionto replace a Medical/Dental Clinic at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, which would improve health services for service members and their families… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-statement-on-fcc-funding | Schatz Statement on FCC Funding | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Schatz Statement on FCC Funding Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, congressional appropriators released a bipartisan spending deal that guarantees the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will have the budget it needs to fulfill its mission and ensure that the American people have access to leading edge communications services. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Ranking Member of the Commerce Committees Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet Subcommittee, supported the FCCs full funding request through the appropriations process which is now reflected in the final deal. Im pleased we were able to help secure the FCCs budget, said Senator Schatz. The FCC must be properly funded to protect consumers, enable continued private sector competition and investment in the nations communications networks, and to support continued innovation in new internet based services, content, and tools. These are the necessary building blocks to ensure access, active participation, and success in a 21st century economy. The FCC is funded at $340 million. The House and Senate appropriation committees had initially voted for budgets of $315 million and $320 million respectively.The budget also includes $44 million in directed spending for the FCCs move to new facilities. As communications technology has become important to our economy and daily lives, the role of the FCC has grown more prominent. This important investment is a reflection that the FCC must continue to invest in the expertise, facilities, capabilities, and infrastructure to perform its functions. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/big-island-now-gabbard-seeks-students-kaha-ki-i-competition | Big Island Now: Gabbard Seeks Students for Kaha Kii Competition | 2015-12-14 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Student artists are being sought by Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to submit artwork for the 2016 Kaha Kii Congressional Art Competition, hosted by the United States House of Representatives. High school students in the 2nd Congressional District, which covers all of the neighbor islands and portions of Oahu, are invited to submit artwork by the Feb. 23 deadline. Hawai?i art students, with the support and mentorship of their teachers, continue to surpass my expectations year after year with their creative, beautiful, and thoughtful artwork, said Congresswoman Gabbard. Im looking forward to seeing the submissions to our annual competition in 2016. The nationwide competition is a great platform for Hawai?i students to showcase the unique culture of our islands and communities from their perspective. The winning pieces will be on display for one year at the U.S. Capitol and in my Washington and Hawai?i offices for visitors to enjoy. Semifinalists will be announced soon after the February deadline. Winning pieces will be unveiled at an award ceremony in April at the Hawaii State Capitol. Students interested in submitting work should visit Congresswoman Gabbards website, or call (808) 541-1986. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/hirono-pushes-for-program-to-reunite-families-of-filipino-wwii-vets | Hirono pushes for program to reunite families of Filipino WWII vets | 2015-12-14 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono pushes for program to reunite families of Filipino WWII vets By: Rosemarie Bernardo Monday, December 14, 2015 U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono has urged President Barack Obama to expedite a newly proposed program to reunite family members of Filipino World War II veterans. In a Dec. 4 letter, Hirono and Sens. Harry Reid and Tim Kaine requested Obama and his administration to launch the parole program and accept applications by the end of the year. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, parole gives the Department of Homeland Security discretion to permit individuals to come to the U.S. on a case-by-case and temporary basis. On Oct. 2, the department announced its plans to create a parole-in-place program to allow certain family members of Filipino WWII veterans entry to the U.S. but it has yet to be implemented. The parole program was initially announced in July as part of the administrations Modernizing & Streamlining Our Legal Immigration System for the 21st Century recommendations. President Obamas initial announcement this summer was a relief to Filipino World War II veterans and their families who have waited decades to be reunited, and to those of us who fought for years to end the visa backlog, said Hirono in a statement. The administration is doing the right thing for these families. However, it is imperative that the administration implement the parole program as quickly as possible so these veterans and their spouses, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, can finally be together with their children. Hirono and the other senators stressed in the letter that all family members of veterans should be eligible to apply to the program under an expedited process. Because of time constraints and humanitarian factors faci… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-bill-to-protect-consumers-and-integrity-of-online-reviews | Senate Passes Bill to Protect Consumers and Integrity of Online Reviews | 2015-12-14 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.The U.S. Senate today passed by unanimous consent S. 2044, the Consumer Review Freedom Act, introduced byChairman John Thune (R-S.D.), Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee Ranking Member Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). The bipartisan bill is also co-sponsored by the full committees Ranking Member, Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). The Commerce Committee approved the bill on November 18, 2015 and held a hearing on the issue on November 4, 2015, with testimony from Ms. Jen Palmer, aplaintiff in Palmer v. KlearGear, where a company demanded the removal of a negative online review or payment of $3,500 in fines because the online merchants terms of service included a non-disparagement clause. When the review was not taken down, the company reported the unpaid $3,500 to a credit reporting agency as an outstanding debt, which negatively impacted the Palmers credit. This legislation is very simple. A person should be able to give their honest review of a good or service they purchase online without fear of facing a penalty for their opinion, said Sen. Schatz. Online reviews help consumers make better choices and thats why we must end the practice of unfair non-disparagement clauses.The Consumer Review Freedom Act is a commonsense solution that empowers consumers to tell the truth about their purchasing experiences to help other consumers select the best products and services, said Sen. Thune. It also preserves the integrity of reviews for the online exchange of information and protects consumers from being fined for speaking the truth. Im pleased to see this legislation unanimously pass the Senate. It would make certain that consumers in Kansas and across the country are able to make their voices heard without having to fear lawsuits or financial repercus… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/fast-act-allots-13b-to-state | FAST Act allots $1.3B to state | 2015-12-13 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | FAST Act allots $1.3B to state By: Jessica Else Sunday, December 13, 2015 President Obama signed the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation Act earlier this month, securing $1.3 billion in federal help for Hawaiis transportation over the next five years. According to a press release from Sen. Mazie Hironos office, $261 million will go toward public transit and almost $1.1 billion will be put toward improving infrastructure. The FAST Act is long overdue and will provide stability for transportation agencies as we continue to search for solutions to modernize and maintain our critical infrastructure needs, Hirono said in the release. While not perfect, this bill supports bus and public transit programs that many Hawaii commuters and visitors rely on every day. Read the entire pieve at:http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/fast-act-allots-b-to-state/article_95976376-faad-56eb-95f6-99335af96727.html | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-hirono-gabbard-announce-nearly-15-million-coral-reef-conservation | Schatz, Hirono, Gabbard Announce Nearly $1.5 Million for Coral Reef Conservation | 2015-12-12 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DC Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), and U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $1,485,007 in various grants to support coral reef conservation and coastal management in Hawaii and throughout the Pacific. Coastal communities live by the health of the ocean, reefs, and beaches, said Senator Brian Schatz. The variety of Hawaii institutions that have received funding demonstrates our state's deep commitment and understanding that coastal management and conservation depends on all of us. I hope that grantees use this opportunity to make real progress for a better environment, and to help grow public understanding and commitment to our oceans and beaches. Climate change and other manmade threats pose a serious risk to Hawaii's coral reefs and fisheries, vital parts of our state's ecosystem and economy, said Senator Mazie K. Hirono. The federal investments announced today will support efforts by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, Conservation International Hawaii, the Nature Conservancy in Hawaii, and the University of Hawaii to search for solutions to protect and responsibly manage our ocean environment. Hawaii's coral reefs are vital to protecting our coastline, marine life, ecosystem, and local economy, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Warmer than normal ocean temperatures have put the survival of our reefs at serious risk, especially following a major coral bleaching event just last year. While there is much more that must be done to address the causes of this destruction, this funding will support projects in Hawaii and in many of our other coastal states and territories that work to protect and conserve our precious reefs. The funding includes grants to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the University of Hawaii, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Man… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-statement-on-the-paris-climate-agreement | Schatz Statement On The Paris Climate Agreement | 2015-12-12 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Schatz Statement On The Paris Climate Agreement Saturday, December 12, 2015 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, released the following statement on the Paris Climate Agreement: This is an historic moment when the international community finally takes responsibility for climate change in a meaningful way. This is a global problem that cannot be solved by nations acting alone. We must come together, and with this agreement, we did. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-schatz-gabbard-announce-nearly-15-million-for-coral-reef-conservation | Hirono, Schatz, Gabbard Announce Nearly $1.5 Million For Coral Reef Conservation | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono, Schatz, Gabbard Announce Nearly $1.5 Million For Coral Reef Conservation Friday, December 11, 2015 Washington, D.C Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), and U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $1,485,007in various grants to support coral reef conservation and coastal management in Hawaii and throughout the Pacific. Climate change and other manmade threats pose a serious risk to Hawaiis coral reefs and fisheries, vital parts of our states ecosystem and economy, said Senator Mazie K. Hirono. The federal investments announced today will support efforts by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, Conservation International Hawaii, the Nature Conservancy in Hawaii, and the University of Hawaii to searchfor solutions to protect and responsibly manage our ocean environment. Coastal communities live by the health of the ocean, reefs, and beaches,said Senator Brian Schatz.The variety of Hawaii institutions that have received funding demonstrates our states deep commitment and understanding that coastal management and conservation depends on all of us. I hope that grantees use this opportunity to make real progress for a better environment, and to help grow public understanding and commitment to our oceans and beaches. Hawai?is coral reefs are vital to protecting our coastline, marine life, ecosystem, and local economy, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Warmer than normal ocean temperatures have put the survival of our reefs at serious risk, especially following a major coral bleaching event just last year. While there is much more that must be done to address the causes of this destruction, this funding will support projects in Hawai?i and in many of our other coastal states and territories that work to protect and conserve our precious reefs. The funding includes grants to the Depar… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-successfully-advocates-for-improvements-to-veterans-services | Hirono Successfully Advocates For Improvements To Veterans’ Services | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Successfully Advocates For Improvements To Veterans Services Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Approves Wide-Ranging Bill With Hirono Provisions Friday, December 11, 2015 Two of Senator Mazie K. Hironos proposals to improve services for veterans and their families were approved by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee as part of S. 425, the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act. Senator Hironos provisions expedite the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) survivors benefits claims process and improve VA practices to recruit physicians. The Homeless Veterans Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act makes progress on ensuring that veterans and their families receive the care and services that they have earned, said Senator Hirono. My provisions will eliminate cumbersome paperwork from the survivors claims process and ensure that VA physicians have more flexible schedules like their private sector colleagues, making VA service more attractive for health professionals. I look forward to working with my colleagues to see this bill through the full Senate. S.425 is a wide-ranging omnibus bill that also expands support for homeless veterans, restores GI Bill benefits for those affected by closure of educational institutions such as Heald College, supports caregivers, and improves VA health cares pain management guidelines. The bill incorporates two bills authored by Sen. Hirono, S. 1450, the Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency Staffing Recruitment and Retention Act and S. 1451, the Veterans' Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act. S. 1450 allows VA Medical Centers to implement flexible physician and physician assistant work schedules. Currently, the VAs policies dont sync up with how private sector medical professionals manage their schedules. Hospitalist and Emergency Medicine physicians specialize in the care of patients in the hospital, often needing to work irregular work schedules to accommodate the need for continuity of eff… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-hirono-gabbard-announce-nearly-15-million-for-coral-reef-conservation | Schatz, Hirono, Gabbard Announce Nearly $1.5 Million for Coral Reef Conservation | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Schatz, Hirono, Gabbard Announce Nearly $1.5 Million for Coral Reef Conservation Friday, December 11, 2015 Washington, D.C Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), and U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $1,485,007in various grants to support coral reef conservation and coastal management in Hawaii and throughout the Pacific. Coastal communities live by the health of the ocean, reefs, and beaches, said Senator Brian Schatz. The variety of Hawaii institutions that have received funding demonstrates our states deep commitment and understanding that coastal management and conservation depends on all of us. I hope that grantees use this opportunity to make real progress for a better environment, and to help grow public understanding and commitment to our oceans and beaches. Climate change and other manmade threats pose a serious risk to Hawaiis coral reefs and fisheries, vital parts of our states ecosystem and economy, said Senator Mazie K. Hirono. The federal investments announced today will support efforts by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, Conservation International Hawaii, the Nature Conservancy in Hawaii, and the University of Hawaii to search for solutions to protect and responsibly manage our ocean environment. Hawai?is coral reefs are vital to protecting our coastline, marine life, ecosystem, and local economy, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Warmer than normal ocean temperatures have put the survival of our reefs at serious risk, especially following a major coral bleaching event just last year. While there is much more that must be done to address the causes of this destruction, this funding will support projects in Hawai?i and in many of our other coastal states and territories that work to protect and conserve our precious reefs. The funding includes grants to the Departm… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/maui-now-gabbard-celebrates-35th-anniversary-maui-family-support-services | Maui Now: Gabbard Celebrates 35th Anniversary of Maui Family Support Services | 2015-12-10 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard spoke on the House Floor today to recognize Maui Family Support Services upon celebrating 35 years of serving the people of Maui County. For 35 years, Maui Family Support Services has been helping to build strong healthy families on Maui, Moloka?i and L?na?i, Rep. Gabbard said in a speech on the House Floor. Last year alone, the organization assisted over 5,000 people in need, which included making 4,466 home visits, helping 136 people access mental health, substance abuse or domestic violence services, and providing developmental screenings for 953 children. Additionally, she said, thousands of people have gone through the organizations programs for early childhood development, teen substance abuse prevention, and fatherhood involvement, helping to build and strengthen local families and communities. Rep. Gabbard noted that one in eight children in Hawai?i live in poverty, and said, its organizations like the Maui Family Support Services that play a critical role in making sure that our keiki and local families get the support and services they need. I want to say thank you to this great organization for the service that they have provided for over 35 years, she said. Maui Family Support Services was founded in 1980 with a mission to, promote healthy family functioning by providing family support and educational services that build on family strengths. The organizations prime directive is to utilize its collective resources toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-continues-efforts-directly-arm-kurdish-forces | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Continues Efforts to Directly Arm Kurdish Forces | 2015-12-10 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCRep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) released the statement below following unanimous approval by the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) on H.R.1654, legislation that she is an original co-sponsor of, that would authorize and expedite providing necessary military equipment, weapons, and ammunition directly to the Kurdish Peshmerga to defeat ISIS: The Kurds have proven time and again to be our most loyal and effective ground force in the fight against ISIS. I have long advocated for the U.S. to provide Kurdish Peshmerga forces with the heavy weaponry and equipment they need to continue to be successful in this fight, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. When I met with Kurdish leaders in Erbil earlier this year, they reiterated the need for direct military assistance and more advanced weaponry like anti-tank missiles and armored vehicles to defeat ISIS. Our current requirement to send all U.S. military assistance to Kurdish ground forces through Baghdad is both inefficient and ineffective, and has allowed the Shiite-led Iraqi central government to withhold vital aid from our allied forces. Kurdish ground forces urgently need our direct assistance to continue to be successful in the fight against ISIS, and we can no longer wait to take action. This legislation would remove these roadblocks and allow the U.S. to provide direct assistance to Kurdish ground forces. I am encouraged by the bipartisan progress made to pass this legislation through committee, and will continue to push for a vote to pass this bill on the House floor. Background: ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-votes-make-visa-waiver-program-more-secure | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Votes to Make Visa Waiver Program More Secure | 2015-12-09 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Welcomes Long-Overdue Improvements To Keep Americans Safe Washington, DCRep. Tulsi Gabbard voted in favor yesterday of H.R.158, the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act. The congresswoman has repeatedly called for a temporary suspension of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) for specific countries with a high number of citizens identified as ISIS foreign fighters and introduced legislation over a yearago to do just that. H.R.158 requires dual-citizens of VWP countries and Iraq, Syria, or other state-sponsors of terrorism, as well as those who have visited Iraq and Syria since 2011, from entering the U.S. through the VWP and to instead go through the regular visa application process, which provides for more security screening measures. In addition, it requires all travelers from VWP countries to have an e-passport with relevant biographic and biometric information to make it harder for people travel under a false identity, and requires VWP countries to certify that their ports of entry can validate these e-passports. I have long called for a serious reforms to our Visa Waiver Program, and I am pleased that leaders in both parties have grown to recognize the important necessity of addressing and fixing the vulnerabilities that exist within the program, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Following last month's tragic attacks in Paris, many European leaders have raised concerns over their own ability to collect critical intelligence information and monitor European passport holders who travel freely in and out of Syria through open borders with Turkey, and then throughout Europe among countries that make up the borderless Schengen zone. As the U.S. looks to develop long term changes that can better identify those coming in to our country that present a threat to our national security, this legislation will help to address some of the security gaps that exist through this program. However, more must be done to address the gaping hole in Turkey's border with Syria, which still allows European foreign f… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-supports-major-no-child-left-behind-overhaul | Hirono Supports Major No Child Left Behind Overhaul | 2015-12-09 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Supports Major No Child Left Behind Overhaul Landmark Legislation Includes Hirono Priorities For Impact Aid, Native Hawaiian Education, Early Education Initiatives That Will Help Hawaii Students Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono today voted for the Every Student Succeeds Act, the first comprehensive legislation aimed at improving elementary and secondary education to pass Congress since the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act. Our schools should be places where students curiosity about the world can grow into a lifelong passion for learning, said Senator Hirono. The Every Students Succeeds Act makes the one size fits all mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act a thing of the past, and Hawaii students will benefit from this legislation that supports early education, services to military-connected children, improvements to the Native Hawaiian Education Act, and many other commonsense reforms. However, I am disappointed that a provision I offered to provide more accurate data on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students was not included in the final legislation. I appreciate the work that Senator Patty Murray and Representative Bobby Scott did to make progress to provide federal support for states who take initiative to help AANHPI students succeed, but there is still work that needs to be done to ensure that educators have insight on how to help all students. The Every Student Succeeds Act passed the Senate 85-12 and is headed to the Presidents desk for his signature. Strengthening Native Hawaiian Education The Every Student Succeeds Act includes important provisions from Senator Hironos Native Hawaiian Education Reauthorization Act, a Hawaii delegation bill, to preserve and protect the Native Hawaiian Education Act by increasing transparency and adding Native Hawaiian charter schools as eligible entities for direct federal grants. Investing in Early Education The Every Student Succeeds Act renews funding to the… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/refugee-camp-visits-shape-anti-terrorism-strategies | Refugee Camp Visits Shape Anti-Terrorism Strategies | 2015-12-09 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Refugee Camp Visits Shape Anti-Terrorism Strategies Wednesday, December 9, 2015 By Sen. Brian Schatz D-HI, Star Advertiser: They were bright eyed and smiling.I showed them a picture of our dog, figuring a puppy is a good icebreaker with any kid.They warmed up, asking about my children and Hawaii.I asked where they were from - their answers as diverse as their faces - Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria, Bosnia.We were in an old German Army barracks a reception area for refugees escaping war.What struck me the most is that kids are kids no matter their circumstances. I visited refugee camps in Germany and Jordan to see first-hand what was happening and understand how American policy impacts this issue. Recent events led to a low point in American politics.Many of us afraid, on edge, not knowing who to blame or what to do. And what filled the void was a resentment and fear that is contrary to who we are. This is partly because American foreign policy debates have become rote, trite, overly simple. Neoconservatives want to topple yet another regime, progressives again don't. This is not the greatest threat ever to civilization but it is serious and new. And that requires serious and new thinking. A group of us in the Senate is developing a foreign policy that is pragmatic and progressive to help fill this void. Working together weve had moderate success on climate, the nuclear Iran deal, and countering violent extremism online. My thinking is evolving as events do. But here are my notes from the field about the best way to combat violent extremism. First, we need a "hearts and minds" strategy that reflects 21st century realities.ISIL is enlisting tens of thousands of foreign fighters via Twitter.We are spending nearly nothing on countering their message. In the past, Radio Free Europe spread our values across the world, but we have a muddled approach on the Internet. This needs the strategic rigor, oversight, and money that traditional warfighting receives. Second, we need better … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-sweeping-education-bill-to-provide-federal-funding-for-hawaii-schools-fix-nclb-and-improve-access-to-high-quality-education | Senate Passes Sweeping Education Bill to Provide Federal Funding For Hawaii Schools, Fix NCLB, and Improve Access to High-Quality Education | 2015-12-09 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senate Passes Sweeping Education Bill to Provide Federal Funding For Hawaii Schools, Fix NCLB, and Improve Access to High-Quality Education Legislation Overhauls Broken No Child Left Behind Program Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, the U.S. Senate voted 85-12 to pass the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) legislation that reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replaces No Child Left Behind. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, worked to include key provisions in the legislation that support funding for Hawaii schools and improve Native Hawaiian education. The best investment we can make is in our kids, said Senator Schatz. This bipartisan bill gives Hawaii schools the flexibility and the funding to improve access to high-quality education, implement innovative approaches, and preserve key programs that help students succeed in school and in life. The Every Student Succeeds Act contains key Hawaii priorities including: Funding for Federal Impact Aid, a program that assists schools that experience increased costs due to the enrollment of federally connected children. Senator Schatz worked to preserve Hawaii-specific provisions in this critical program that provides tens of millions of federal dollars to support Hawaii schools; Authorization of a competitive grant program to empower school districts, educational service agencies, and community organizations to implement and expand evidence-based, innovative educational strategies to serve schools in their communities. The ESSA includes a bipartisan program, introduced by Senators Schatz, Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), that expands upon innovative practices that are improving student achievement, graduation rates, and college enrollment. Support for Native Hawaiian education programs and schools. This bill reauthorizes the Native Hawaiian education … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/big-island-now-gabbard-recognized-food-system-support | Big Island Now: Gabbard Recognized for Food System Support | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Representative Tulsi Gabbard was named a top advocate of improving the countrys food system on Tuesday. Food Policy Action made the announcement when it released its Congressional Progress Report. Representative Gabbard was given a perfect score on the 2015 National Food Policy Scorecard. Securing sensible, transparent food policy and supporting local and domestic agriculture have been among my key priorities in Congress, said Representative Gabbard. Ive continued to push for legislation that would increase food and production transparency and fight for making basic labeling available to consumers across the country. In addition, I remain committed to fighting against harmful legislation, like the Deny Americans the Right to Know (DARK) Act, that rolls back years of progress in food labeling made in 30 states, including Hawai?i. Food security is a critical issue for the American people, and especially the people of Hawai?i, and Im humbled to be recognized as an advocate for them and their families. On the scorecard, lawmakers votes on various food relevant policies in the United States are taken into consideration. Among the topics are domestic and international hunger, food safety, food access, farm subsidies, animal welfare, food and farm labor, nutrition, food additives, food transparency, local and regional food production, organic farming, and the effects of food production on the environment. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been a strong advocate in Congress for food safety, access, production, and transparency, said Chef Tom Colicchio, Food Policy Action Co-Founder and good food advocate. We are grateful for her leadership and continued support of sustainable food policy in both Hawai?i and across the United States. In 2012, Food Policy Action was established on the efforts of food policy leaders. The goal is to hold legislators accountable on votes that have an effect on food and farming. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/maui-time-rep-tulsi-gabbard-supports-two-criminal-justice-reform-bills | Maui Time: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard supports two criminal justice reform bills | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | By: Anthony Pignataro The United States of America is, more than ever, a prison state. Looking at some numbers just crunched by the nonprofit, non-partisan Prison Policy Initiative, its hard to deny that America has turned incarceration into more than a mere industryits become a pillar of our society. The American criminal justice system holds more than 2.3 million people in 1,719 state prisons, 102 federal prisons, 2,259 juvenile correctional facilities, 3,283 local jails, and 79 Indian Country jails as well as in military prisons, immigration detention facilities, civil commitment centers, and prisons in the U.S. territories, states a new Prison Policy Initiative report released on Dec. 8. Looking at the big picture requires us to ask if it really makes sense to lock up 2.3 million people on any given day, giving this nation the dubious distinction of having the highest incarceration rate in the world. Were not talking about Soviet Russia or communist China here. This is the U.S. And its out of control. Congressional Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, DHawaii, would seem to agree. In fact, she recently announced that shes supporting two new criminal justice reform bills. Our criminal justice system today is unsustainable, both for our government and for society. In Hawai?i, 5,500 inmates were in our correctional system last year, including 1,300 sent to Arizona because of prison overcrowding, and our state spent over $179 million on corrections, Gabbard said in a Dec. 3 news release. Across the country, spending on our criminal justice system continues to go up, but over 40% of people released from prison return within 3 years. Here are the two bills: The Sentencing Reform Act: According to Gabbards office, this bill reduces specific mandatory minimums for drug offenses, reduces the three-strike mandatory life sentence to 25 years, broadens the existing safety valve for low-level drug offenders, and provides judges with greater discretion in determining appropriate sentences while ensuring that serious violent felons d… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-recognized-top-advocate-national-food-policy | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Recognized As Top Advocate For National Food Policy | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCToday, Food Policy Action announced Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) as a top advocate of improving our nation's food system. The release of their Congressional Progress Report gave the congresswoman a perfect score on Food Policy Action's 2015 National Food Policy Scorecard. The scorecard considers lawmakers votes on a variety of issues relevant to food policy in the U.S., including domestic and international hunger, food safety, food access, farm subsidies, animal welfare, food and farm labor, nutrition, food additives, food transparency, local and regional food production, organic farming and the effects of food production on the environment. Securing sensible, transparent food policy and supporting local and domestic agriculture have been among my key priorities in Congress, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. I've continued to push for legislation that would increase food and production transparency and fight for making basic labeling available to consumers across the country. In addition, I remain committed to fighting against harmful legislation like the Deny Americans the Right to Know (DARK) Act, that rolls back years of progress in food labeling made in 30 states, including Hawaii. Food security is a critical issue for the American people, and especially the people of Hawaii, and I'm humbled to be recognized as an advocate for them and their families. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been a strong advocate in Congress for food safety, access, production, and transparency, said Chef Tom Colicchio, Food Policy Action Co-Founder and good food advocate. We are grateful for her leadership and continued support of sustainable food policy in both Hawaii, and across the United States. Background: Food Policy Action was established in 2012 through a collaboration of national food policy leaders in order to hold legislators accountable on votes that have an effect on food and farming. The National Food Policy 2015 Scorecard reflects the consensus of top food policy experts who select the key food policy votes each year. #… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-trump-justifying-his-racism-using-history-of-japanese-american-internment-is-shameful | Schatz: Trump Justifying His Racism Using History of Japanese American Internment is Shameful | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Schatz: Trump Justifying His Racism Using History of Japanese American Internment is Shameful Tuesday, December 8, 2015 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) released the following statement in response to Donald Trumps proposal to bar all Muslims from entering the United States: When Donald Trump proposed to block all Muslims from entering the United States, he referred to Roosevelts classification of thousands of Japanese, Germans, and Italians during the war as enemy aliens as precedent. This shameful page of our history led to the internment of thousands of Japanese American families. In 1988, President Reagan offered a formal apology for this disgrace. We should remember this chapter in history in order to never repeat the same injustice. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-reid-kaine-urge-president-to-expedite-program-to-reunite-families-of-filipino-wwii-veterans | Hirono, Reid, Kaine Urge President To Expedite Program To Reunite Families Of Filipino WWII Veterans | 2015-12-07 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono, Reid, Kaine Urge President To Expedite Program To Reunite Families Of Filipino WWII Veterans Monday, December 7, 2015 Senators Mazie K. Hirono, Harry Reid (D-NV), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) urged President Obama to quickly implement the Administrations newly proposed parole program to reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their family members. In July, after years of advocacy from Senator Hirono and others, the Obama Administration recommended that the Department of Homeland Security create a parole program to allow certain family members of Filipino World War II veterans to come to the United States to provide support and care to their aging Filipino veteran family members who are U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent Residents. However, the Administration has not yet announced important details about eligibility and the application process. President Obamas initial announcement this summer was a relief to Filipino World War II veterans and their families who have waited decades to be reunited, and to those of us who fought for years to end the visa backlog, said Senator Hirono. The Administration is doing the right thing for these families. However, it is imperative that the Administration implement the parole program as quickly as possible so these veterans and their spouses, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, can finally be together with their children. These brave Filipino veterans made incredible sacrifices for the United States, and we must do everything in our power to ensure their service is properly recognized. I applaud the Administrations proposed parole program to reunite veterans with their families and urge the Administration to do so as quickly as possible, said Senator Reid. As the thousands of remaining Filipino World War II veterans grow older, we must also ensure that their spouses and children can care for them and their widows in the United States. No service member should be prevented from reuniting with their families, and time is running out … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-statement-on-74th-anniversary-of-the-attack-on-pearl-harbor | Schatz Statement On 74th Anniversary Of The Attack On Pearl Harbor | 2015-12-07 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Schatz Statement On 74th Anniversary Of The Attack On Pearl Harbor Monday, December 7, 2015 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) issued the following statement commemorating the 74th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor: Seventy-four years ago today, the attack on Pearl Harbor forever changed Hawaii, the country, and the world. We will never forget the thousandsof men and women who lost their lives that day and the countless others who bravely stepped forward to defend our home. We honor them and all of those who continue to protect our nation today. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-supports-passage-every-student-succeeds-act | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Supports Passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act | 2015-12-04 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCLast night, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) voted in favor of the conference report for S.1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation makes significant changes to the No Child Left Behind Act, and includes language introduced by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard earlier this year to reauthorize funding for the Native Hawaiian Education Act (NHEA), which provides grants for innovative Native Hawaiian educational programs across the State of Hawaii. It corrects measures the congresswoman opposed in the earlier House version of the bill, like codifying low sequestration-levels of education funding and Title I portability, which would have reduced the amount of funding that schools with the most need receive. I have long called for updating No Child Left Behind, and this bill helps to address many of the current challenges in our education system, including overly stringent standardized testing requirements that have put unnecessary pressure on schools, teachers, and students for years without effectively improving education for our keiki. The bill gives states more flexibility to determine the best way to measure success in their schools, and provides support for innovation, teacher quality, STEM education, and more, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. The inclusion of the reauthorization for the Native Hawaiian Education Act, based on the bill I introduced, will continue critical funding for thousands of Native Hawaiian children and families. Background: The Every Student Succeeds Act passed today includes measures to: Prohibit the US Department of Education (ED) from imposing national education standards or requiring the use of voluntary Common Core standards, and givestates more flexibility to determine the best way to measure schools ED would be required to certify that state plans and standards meet requirements of the law, including to improve student learning in the state's lowest-performing 5 percent of schools, high school dropout factories, and schools in which any group of students is consistently un… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/transportation-bill-has-13b-for-hawaii | Transportation Bill Has $1.3B For Hawaii | 2015-12-04 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Transportation Bill Has $1.3B For Hawaii By: Chad Blair Friday, December 4, 2015 Hawaii’s U.S. senators, both Democrats, are welcoming the bipartisan passage Thursday of a $300 billion transportation bill that now awaits President Obama’s signature. Mazie Hirono’s office says that, from this year through 2020, Hawaii will receive over $1.3 billion in federal transportation funds — $261 million for public transit and nearly $1.1 billion to improve infrastructure. “While not perfect, this bill supports bus and public transit programs that many Hawaii commuters and visitors rely on every day,” said Hirono. Read the entire piece at: http://www.civilbeat.com/2015/12/transportation-bill-has-1-3b-for-hawaii/ | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://gabbard.house.gov/index.php/press-releases/525-rep-tulsi-gabbard-continues-bipartisan-push-for-criminal-justice-reform | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Continues Bipartisan Push for Criminal Justice Reform | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) announced support of two bipartisan criminal justice reform billsH.R.2944, the Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Effective (SAFE) Justice Act, and H.R.3713, the Sentencing Reform Act. The SAFE Justice Act takes proven community generated solutions from states throughout the country and applies them effectively at the national level. The Sentencing Reform Act reduces certain mandatory minimums for drug offenders, and allows judges greater discretion in determining appropriate sentences.Our criminal justice system today is unsustainable, both for our government and for society. In Hawaii, 5,500 inmates were in our correctional system last year, including 1,300 sent to Arizona because of prison overcrowding, and our state spent over $179 million on corrections, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Across the country, spending on our criminal justice system continues to go up, but over 40% of people released from prison return within 3 years. States around the country are finding new and innovative ways to address the many problems that plague our criminal justice system. In Hawai'i, veteran treatment courts and drug courts are helping to reduce prison crowding and over-criminalization by focusing on rehabilitation and treatment. Similarly, the HOPE model has shown dramatic results in reducing recidivism by implementing a high-intensity supervision probation program. Criminal justice reform is a bipartisan cause, and both the SAFE Act and the Sentencing Reform Act are the kinds of sensible changes that will begin to bring about long overdue criminal justice reform. Earlier this year, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard wrote to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. about the successes of the Hawai'i Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE), and the State Juvenile Justice Hoopono Mamo Civil Citation Initiative. Full text of the letter can be found HERE. This Congress, she has also cosponsored H.R. 920, the Smarter Sentencing Act and H.R. 1854, … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-continues-bipartisan-push-criminal-justice-reform | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Continues Bipartisan Push for Criminal Justice Reform | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) announced support of two bipartisan criminal justice reform billsH.R.2944, the Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Effective (SAFE) Justice Act, and H.R.3713, the Sentencing Reform Act. The SAFE Justice Act takes proven community generated solutions from states throughout the country and applies them effectively at the national level. The Sentencing Reform Act reduces certain mandatory minimums for drug offenders, and allows judges greater discretion in determining appropriate sentences.Our criminal justice system today is unsustainable, both for our government and for society. In Hawaii, 5,500 inmates were in our correctional system last year, including 1,300 sent to Arizona because of prison overcrowding, and our state spent over $179 million on corrections, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Across the country, spending on our criminal justice system continues to go up, but over 40% of people released from prison return within 3 years. States around the country are finding new and innovative ways to address the many problems that plague our criminal justice system. In Hawai'i, veteran treatment courts and drug courts are helping to reduce prison crowding and over-criminalization by focusing on rehabilitation and treatment. Similarly, the HOPE model has shown dramatic results in reducing recidivism by implementing a high-intensity supervision probation program. Criminal justice reform is a bipartisan cause, and both the SAFE Act and the Sentencing Reform Act are the kinds of sensible changes that will begin to bring about long overdue criminal justice reform. Earlier this year, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard wrote to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. about the successes of the Hawai'i Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE), and the State Juvenile Justice Hoopono Mamo Civil Citation Initiative. Full text of the letter can be found HERE. This Congress, she has also cosponsored H.R. 920, the Smarter Sentencing Act and H.R. 1854, … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-praises-decision-open-all-military-jobs-women | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Praises Decision to Open All Military Jobs To Women | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DC Today, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), one of the first two female combat veterans ever to serve in Congress, issued the following statement after Secretary of Defense Ash Carter's landmark decision that all combat position in the U.S. military will be open to female servicemembers, without exception, starting in 2016: Over 280,000 women have deployed and served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. Many of these women have not only served effectively in combat, they have earned some of our nation's most prestigious awards for their leadership, skill, and bravery. This change is long overdue, and will increase opportunities for women who meet the required standard, to serve our nation in any job in the military. It's encouraging to see that the Department of Defense policy is finally catching up to the reality of the ways women have been contributing and serving our country. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a twice-deployed combat veteran and a Major in the Hawai'i Army National Guard. Earlier this year, she introduced a resolution with Rep. Martha McSally (AZ-02) congratulating the historic accomplishments of Capt. Kristen Griest and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver, the first two women to graduate from Army Ranger School. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-fights-to-protect-health-care-access-for-hawaii-women-and-families | Hirono Fights To Protect Health Care Access For Hawaii Women And Families | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Fights To Protect Health Care Access For Hawaii Women And Families Thursday, December 3, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono today voted against H.R. 3762, a Republican bill to defund Planned Parenthood, undermine federal support for research on heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases, and gut key Affordable Care Act provisions. The legislation passed the Republican-controlled Senate 52-47. President Obama has vowed to veto the bill. After the final vote, Senator Hirono released the following statement: The budget reconciliation legislation is yet another Republican attempt to push a far-right agenda on our country. Instead of bringing up legislation that will help create opportunity and raise wages for middle class families, Republicans continue to waste time on harmful, ideological proposals that they know will fail to become law. The one good thing to come out of this pointless exercise is that the Senate voted 90-10 to repeal the tax on so-called high-cost health plans before it is enacted in 2018. High-cost health plan is a complete misnomer- in reality, this tax would hit workers whose employers provide decent health care benefits as a key part of their compensation. I am a proud cosponsor of Senator Sherrod Browns (D-OH) bill that will repeal this tax in a responsible manner and look forward to working on a bipartisan basis to help working families by responsibly repealing this tax. I remain very concerned about continued attempts to defund Planned Parenthood. Preventative health care services comprise the vast majority of Planned Parenthoods services, and under this legislation, thousands of women in Hawaii might be left without access to another provider. This legislation also eliminates the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which funds a number of key public health research initiatives. This bill would also repeal the Affordable Care Acts Medicaid expansion, which would severely impact the State of Hawaiis ability to provide access to health care to our mos… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-supports-five-year-transportation-bill-that-will-bring-13-billion-to-hawaii | Hirono Supports Five-Year Transportation Bill That Will Bring $1.3 Billion To Hawaii | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Supports Five-Year Transportation Bill That Will Bring $1.3 Billion To Hawaii Legislation Also Reauthorizes Export-Import Bank Thursday, December 3, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted to support H.R. 22, the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, legislation that will fund our nations highways and transportation infrastructure for the next five years. The FAST Act passed the Senate 83-16 and is headed to the Presidents desk for his signature. The FAST Act is long overdue and will provide stability for transportation agencies as we continue to search for solutions to modernize and maintain our critical infrastructure needs, said Senator Hirono. While not perfect, this bill supports bus and public transit programs that many Hawaii commuters and visitors rely on every day. In addition, this legislation finally reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank, which has helped Hawaii businesses make more than $6 million in the past five years. This highway bill is a five-year commitment to good paying jobs and keeping our highways, buses, bridges, and other transportation projects moving forward. From 2015 through 2020, Hawaii will receive over $1.3 billion in federal transportation funds. $261 million will go toward public transit, and nearly $1.1 billion will be allocated to improve infrastructure. The legislation also reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank, which has been in limbo since its charter expired in June. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-bipartisan-transportation-funding-legislation | Senate Passes Bipartisan Transportation Funding Legislation | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senate Passes Bipartisan Transportation Funding Legislation Thursday, December 3, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, the U.S. Senate voted to pass bipartisan legislation to fund highway and transportation projects in Hawaii and across the country for five years, making it the longest highway funding bill in more than a decade.If signed into law this bill would increase funding in Hawaii by $83 million next year and $241 million by 2020. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, worked to include key provisions to support transit-oriented development and promote safer streets and communities. For years states and counties have been asking Congress to provide predictable infrastructure funding to support responsible planning for long-term investments in our roads, bridges, buses and bike paths,said Senator Schatz. This five-year highway bill will provide hundreds of millions of dollars to improve Hawaiis transportation infrastructure across the state. Additionally, this bill makes a number of important investments and improvements to increase safety on roads and in our communities. Funding for these programs are what Hawaii uses to implement its statewide highway safety plan. That includes funding for programs that promote child passenger protection, encourage seat belt usage and reduce incidence of drinking and driving. These types of programs in conjunction with safety improvements in cars and trucks have led to a nearly twenty-four percent reduction in traffic fatalities nationwide over the last ten years. There is more to do however, particularly with respect to pedestrian fatalities which has not decreased in the last decade and which disproportionate impacts older adults. Other new safety provisions prohibit renting out cars under recall and tripling of civil fines the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is allowed to assess auto manufacturers for safety violations which … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-opposes-attacks-on-womens-health-in-budget-reconciliation-bill | Hirono Opposes Attacks On Women’s Health In Budget Reconciliation Bill | 2015-12-02 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Opposes Attacks On Womens Health In Budget Reconciliation Bill Wednesday, December 2, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono took to the Senate floor to speak out against the latest Republican attempts to turn back the clock on womens health care by defunding Planned Parenthood. The provisions to defund Planned Parenthoods critical work are part of the budget reconciliation legislation currently being considered on the Senate floor. From Senator Hironos remarks: Limiting the ability of women to access health care services at Planned Parenthood clinics across the country is just one part of the Republican anti-women agenda. They refuse to fund day care, family leave, or early childhood education- in fact, one Republican health care proposal would allow insurance companies to eliminate maternity care. Whats going on here? On the one hand, Republicans want to deny women access to reproductive care. And then, on the other hand they also want to punish women for having children by not funding programs that support families. I repeat, federal law prohibits family-planning funding from being used for abortion services by anyone, including Planned Parenthood. So, the measure before us today does nothing more than deny millions of women access to birth control and other health care services that are not prohibited and are perfectly legal. Senator Hirono also remembered Hawaii native Jennifer Markovsky, who was tragically killed in last weeks attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado: I would like to take a moment to express my condolences to the families of those affected by last weeks shooting in Colorado Springs, including the family of Jennifer Markovsky. Jennifer grew up in Waianae, Hawaii, and was killed this past Friday at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado in an act of senseless violence. I spoke to Jennifers husband Paul, to express my condolences to him, their two young children, her parents and her ohana. Watch Senator Hironos floor speech here: Read Sen… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/op-ed-failing-our-own | Op-Ed: Failing Our Own | 2015-12-01 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Talia Williams was 5 years old when she was beaten to death by her father after suffering months of abuse at home. Despite multiple reports to officials at the Army base in Hawaii where Talia lived with her father and stepmother, the system in place failed to protect her. Sadly, her case was not isolated. Talias story is just one of more than 29,000 cases of child abuse and neglect in military homes over the last decade. Keegan Metz was 23 months old when he was raped and murdered by his parents in Tennessee in 2009. Malik Ray was 10 when he was tortured to death by his stepfather in Oklahoma in 2010. Two-month old Harmonee Elam was beaten to death in Colorado in 2011 by her father. The list goes on and on. Normally, physicians, psychologists, social workers, teachers and other professionals who work closely with children are required to report any suspected cases of child abuse and neglect directly to State Child Protective Services. But in the military, Family Advocacy Programs in each service conduct their own investigations and assessments. While they are required to make a military point of contact or military law enforcement aware of suspected abuse cases, they are not required to report them directly to State Child Protective Services. In Talias case, Hawaii Child Protective Services was never notified of the multiple reports of her abuse. Numerous people around Talia recognized signs she was being abusedneighbors who heard her screaming for hours, day-care workers who recognized marks on her skin, and even military police who came to Talias home and found her imprisoned in her room with scratches covering her face. These reports, however, stayed within the Army chain of command, and ultimately nothing was done to take her out of harms way. Ten years after Talias tragic death, the same problematic policies exist within the militarys reporting requirements, and rates of child abuse and neglect in military families continue to rise. I introduced Talias Law (H.R. 3894) this year to change this flawed policy a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/nyt-tulsi-gabbard-rising-democratic-star-hawaii-makes-mark-party-defying-it | NYT: Tulsi Gabbard, Rising Democratic Star From Hawaii, Makes Mark on Party by Defying It | 2015-11-28 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Between the chilly temperatures and the pace of the push-ups, there was plenty to complain about after eight lawmakers straggled into the park behind the Longworth House Office Building for their regular 6:30 a.m. workout. While the others in the group griped and groaned on a recent Tuesday, Representative Tulsi Gabbard, 34, her Hindu prayer beads wrapped around a wrist for her daily yoga meditation, said little. Tulsi, you hearing a lot of whining? asked Representative Markwayne Mullin, a burly Oklahoma Republican and former professionalmixed martial artsfighterwho leads the workouts, mocking the complaints of her companions. Im feeling like whining, she replied between push-ups. Ms. Gabbard, Democrat of Hawaii, has a reputation among her colleagues for being a composed, contemplative presence in a chamber more prone to reaction than reflection. But lately she has started to shed that persona. Since thedeadly attacks in Paris, she has become a high-profile critic ofPresident Obamas policies in Syria by amplifying her argument that President Bashar al-Assad should stay in power to avoid elevating the Islamic State and by introducing legislation to defund American efforts to overthrow him. Shortly aftervoting with House Republicansthis month to drastically tighten screening procedures for Syrian refugees in defiance of Mr. Obamas veto threat Ms. Gabbard traveled to Paris. From there, she made the case for focusing on defeating the Islamic State in her fourth national television interview of the week. My responsibility is to the people of Hawaii and the American people to stand up and fight for what is right and what is in the best interest of our country, she said in an interview Tuesday. That has nothing to do with party politics. It is not exactly what Democrats had envisioned when they tapped her for stardom. That unexpected burst came just weeks after she bucked the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, by calling for more presidentia… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/hirono-headlines/dengue-fever-information-and-resources | Dengue Fever Information & Resources | 2015-11-26 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Thursday, November 26, 2015 Dengue Fever Information & Resources More than 100 cases of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease, have been reported on Hawaii Island. While dengue fever is not endemic to Hawaii, it is occasionally brought to our state by travelers who were bit by infected mosquitoes. Hirono is monitoring the situation closely, and is working with state and federal counterparts to ensure that the Hawaii Department of Health and Hawaii Island have the resources they need to eradicate the current outbreak. As of November 25, a team from the Centers for Disease Control has been deployed to assist state and county officials. Click here to learn more about dengue fever in Hawaii and for tips on how to keep dengue fever from spreading. Common symptoms of dengue fever include high fever, a red rash, and muscle and joint pain. If you or someone you know may have dengue fever, contact your physician or the Hawaii Department of Health at: On the Big Island: 808-974-6001 (East Hawaii) or 808-322-4880 (West Hawaii) On other islands: DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division at 808-586-4586. To report mosquito concerns, contact: On the Big Island: 808-974-6001 (East Hawaii) or 808-322-4880 (West Hawaii) On Oahu: 808-586-8021, on Maui: 808-873-3560, on Kauai: 808-241-3306 Clinicians: for updates go tohttp://health.hawaii.gov/docd/updates-and-resources-for-clinicians/ | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/photos-rep-tulsi-gabbard-meets-egypt-president-el-sisi-and-other-leaders-cairo | PHOTOS: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Meets with Egypt President el-Sisi and Other Leaders in Cairo | 2015-11-23 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was in Cairo yesterday with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats. After conducting meetings in Paris with senior level government leaders in the wake of recent terrorist attacks there, they traveled to Cairo, Egypt to discuss the threat of ISIS and Islamic extremist groups, how to strengthen the U.S.-Egypt relationship to ensure stability in Egypt, and the importance of religious freedom. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher first met with U.S. Embassy personnel and the U.S. Defense Attach for a briefing on the current situation in Egypt and the Sinai, as well as an update on U.S. troops who are serving in the Sinai. Later they met with Egypt's President el-Sisi for over an hour and a half, followed by a meeting with Egypt's Minister of Defense Sedki Sobhi. We had a lengthy, candid discussion with President el-Sisi about how important Egypt's stability and success is for the region and for the world. He would like to strengthen and restore U.S.-Egypt relations so that we may work together urgently to decimate' ISIS and other Islamic extremist groups who pose a threat to us and to the world, said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. The recent attacks in Paris and Mali are just two examples of the devastation these groups have caused. President el-Sisi has shown great courage and leadership in taking on this extreme Islamist ideology, while also fighting against ISIS militarily to keep them from gaining a foothold in Egypt. The U.S. must take action to recognize President el-Sisi and his leadership, support Egypt's progress and stability, and stand with him in this fight against ISIS, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and other Islamic extremists who are our common enemy. They also met with Rev. Andrea Zaki Stephanous, Ph.D., president of the Protestant Churches of Egypt, and other leaders of the Christian Coptic Church. There are over 15 million Christ… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/photos-rep-tulsi-gabbard-offers-maile-lei-and-condolences-paris-memorial-site | PHOTOS: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Offers Maile Lei and Condolences at Paris Memorial Site, Meets with French Government Leaders on Security Issues | 2015-11-20 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is in Paris today with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats. In the wake of recent terrorist attacks in Paris, they are there to offer condolences and meet with senior level government leaders to get an update on counterterrorism security related issues, including the visa waiver program. This morning, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard had a productive meeting with French Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Political Director Nicolas de Riviere and National Assembly Member Jean-Francois Cope. They discussed a variety of issues including the visa waiver program, intelligence gathering, the tracking of European foreign fighters, and the military strategy to defeat ISIS. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard visited many of the sites where the Paris attacks occurred, including the memorial site where American student Nohemi Gonzalez was shot and killed. She presented a maile and orchid lei on behalf of the people of Hawaii, offering condolences and best wishes to the victims' families and the people of France. NOTE: Congress is currently in recess and will reconvene on December 1st. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is in Paris today with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats. In the wake of recent terrorist attacks in Paris, they are there to offer condolences and meet with senior level government leaders to get an update on counterterrorism security related issues, including the visa waiver program. This morning, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard had a productive meeting with French Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Political Director Nicolas de Riviere and National Assembly Member Jean-Francois Cope. They discussed a variety of issues including the visa waiver program, intelligence gathering, the tracking of European foreign f… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-misleading-divisive-rhetoric-neglects-facts-of-immigrant-communities | Hirono: Misleading, Divisive Rhetoric Neglects Facts Of Immigrant Communities | 2015-11-20 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono: Misleading, Divisive Rhetoric Neglects Facts Of Immigrant Communities Friday, November 20, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono took to the Senate floor to speak out against anti-immigrant sentiment and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling against President Obamas Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs. From Senator Hironos remarks: Together, the expanded DACA and DAPA programs, will mean that around 5 million more individuals will be able to work legally, pay their taxes, and care for their families. Today, politiciansfrom Presidential candidates to sitting governorsappeal to our nations fears in arguing against any meaningful reform of our broken immigration system. Conjuring up shadowy images fuels these fearsViolent gang members from South America. Terrorists from the Middle East. In their divisive rhetoric and in their rush to build walls and close our borders, they neglect the faces of those they demonize. And they forget the facts. Watch Senator Hironos floor speech here. Read Senator Hironos full remarks below, as prepared for delivery: Madam President: Last November, faced with Congresss failure to act, President Obama, through executive action, took a courageous and practical step on immigration. Like every President since President Eisenhower, President Obama exercised his legal authority to prioritize U.S. immigration enforcement and make our system more fair and just. The most significant parts of the Presidents executive actions were those intended to keep families together and give more people the opportunity to come out of the shadows. The President announced an expansion of the successful Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. He also created a new Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, or DAPA, program. DAPA allows the undocumented parents of U.S. born children to stay in this country w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://gabbard.house.gov/index.php/press-releases/520-reps-tulsi-gabbard-austin-scott-introduce-legislation-to-end-illegal-u-s-war-to-overthrow-syrian-government-of-assad | Reps. Tulsi Gabbard, Austin Scott Introduce Legislation to End Illegal U.S. War to Overthrow Syrian Government of Assad | 2015-11-19 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA), both members of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced H.R. 4108, a bipartisan bill to end U.S. efforts to overthrow the Syrian Arab Republic led by President Bashar al-Assad. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a twice-deployed combat veteran, said the intent of the bill is to Bring an immediate end to the illegal, counter-productive war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard explained,The U.S. is waging two wars in Syria. The first is the war against ISIS and other Islamic extremists, which Congress authorized after the terrorist attack on 9/11. The second war is the illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad. The war to overthrow Assad is counter-productive because it actually helps ISIS and other Islamic extremists achieve their goal of overthrowing the Syrian government of Assad and taking control of all of Syriawhich will simply increase human suffering in the region, exacerbate the refugee crisis, and pose a greater threat to the world. Also, the war to overthrow Assad is illegal because Congress never authorized it. Congressman Austin Scott said, Our primary mission should be the war against ISIS, al Qaeda, and radical Islamic extremists that have operations both inside and outside of Syria and Iraq. Those groups have carried out attacks on American allies, and are currently threatening attacks on our homeland. This represents a clear and present danger to our citizens, and I support eliminating these radical Islamic terrorists through any means necessary. Working to remove Assad at this stage is counter-productive to what I believe our primary mission should be. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard said, Here are 10 reasons the U.S. must end its war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad: 1. Because if we succeed in overthrowing the Syrian government of Assad, it will open the door for ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other Islamic extremists to take over all of Syria. There will be genocide and suffe… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/open-letter-rep-tulsi-gabbard-regarding-safe-act | Open Letter from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Regarding SAFE Act | 2015-11-19 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | I appreciate hearing from so many of you as you express your strong feelings for and against the SAFE Act passed by the U.S. House of Representatives recently. I'd like to share with you why I voted for the bill. True to our history and values as a nation, I believe we must offer refuge to the most vulnerable and those in need, while simultaneously ensuring the safety of the American people. In this regard, this bill is not meant to keep Syrian refugees from entering into the United States. This was a vote to make sure the program to vet these refugees is sufficient to protect Americans. In other words, voting for this bill was not a vote against refugees. Rather, it was a vote for bringing refugees into our country safely. When looking at how to vote on this measure, I considered two things: 1) the safety and security of the American people, and 2) the long term viability and continuation of our country serving as a place of refuge for those who are truly in need of shelter. It would be a double disaster if someone who came to America as a refugee ended up engaging in a terrorist act. First, it would cost the lives of innocent Americans. Second, it could lead to the complete shutdown of our refugee program for a long, long time. This would be extremely unfortunate. I want to make sure that doesn't happen. It's important for anyone who really cares about keeping our refugee programs open to seriously consider the negative impact to such programs if a terrorist attack occurred and a refugee were involved. This happened before, in 2009, when two al-Qaeda terrorists came to the U.S. as refugees from Iraq, and were actively supporting al-Qaeda from the U.S. while also plotting an attack on U.S. soil. Following their discovery and arrest, the refugee program for Iraqis was completely shut down for six months. These were my concerns when I considered how to vote on this bill. Originally, like many Democrats, I was going to vote against the bill because I was inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to the Department o… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/reps-tulsi-gabbard-austin-scott-introduce-legislation-end-illegal-us-war | Reps. Tulsi Gabbard, Austin Scott Introduce Legislation to End Illegal U.S. War to Overthrow Syrian Government of Assad | 2015-11-19 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA), both members of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced H.R. 4108, a bipartisan bill to end U.S. efforts to overthrow the Syrian Arab Republic led by President Bashar al-Assad. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a twice-deployed combat veteran, said the intent of the bill is to Bring an immediate end to the illegal, counter-productive war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard explained,The U.S. is waging two wars in Syria. The first is the war against ISIS and other Islamic extremists, which Congress authorized after the terrorist attack on 9/11. The second war is the illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad. The war to overthrow Assad is counter-productive because it actually helps ISIS and other Islamic extremists achieve their goal of overthrowing the Syrian government of Assad and taking control of all of Syriawhich will simply increase human suffering in the region, exacerbate the refugee crisis, and pose a greater threat to the world. Also, the war to overthrow Assad is illegal because Congress never authorized it. Congressman Austin Scott said, Our primary mission should be the war against ISIS, al Qaeda, and radical Islamic extremists that have operations both inside and outside of Syria and Iraq. Those groups have carried out attacks on American allies, and are currently threatening attacks on our homeland. This represents a clear and present danger to our citizens, and I support eliminating these radical Islamic terrorists through any means necessary. Working to remove Assad at this stage is counter-productive to what I believe our primary mission should be. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard said, Here are 10 reasons the U.S. must end its war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad: 1. Because if we succeed in overthrowing the Syrian government of Assad, it will open the door for ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other Islamic extremists to take over all of Syria. There will be genocide and suffe… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-cornyn-chu-and-royce-push-to-level-playing-field-for-minority-college-students | Hirono, Cornyn, Chu, & Royce Push To Level Playing Field For Minority College Students | 2015-11-19 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono, Cornyn, Chu, & Royce Push To Level Playing Field For Minority College Students Bipartisan Legislation Allows Eligible Minority-Serving Institutions To Provide Greater Opportunities To More Minority Students Thursday, November 19, 2015 Senators Mazie K. Hirono and John Cornyn (R-TX), and Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA) and Ed Royce (R-CA) introduced the Minority-Serving Institution Fairness Act in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives today, legislation that would make Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) eligible to compete for, and receive, multiple federal grants for the purpose of serving a wider range of minority students. Hawaiis colleges and universities serve diverse populations of students, and they shouldnt be limited to supporting just one student population with MSI funding, said Senator Hirono. Targeted outreach to minority students is proven to work. The University of Hawaii system and other Minority-Serving Institutions are currently forced to make the difficult decision of choosing which student population to serve. Our bipartisan legislation will allow these colleges and universities to improve student success by better serving the needs of multiple, diverse student populations. Texas colleges and universities that serve a diverse population of students should not face bureaucratic hurdles to providing a top-notch education to our next generation, said Senator Cornyn. Im pleased to work with Senator Hirono in this effort to allow schools to compete for multiple Minority-Serving Institution grants to improve educational outcomes across the board. I am proud to join my House colleague, fellow Californian, and friend, Congressman Ed Royce, as well as Senators Hirono and Cornyn, to introduce the Minority-Serving Institutions Fairness Act, said Representative Chu. This is a shining example of Congress working together across the aisle to serve minority students in higher education. In particular, this bill allows more institutio… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/commerce-committee-advances-bill-to-protect-consumers-online-reviews | Commerce Committee Advances Bill to Protect Consumers, Online Reviews | 2015-11-18 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Commerce Committee Advances Bill to Protect Consumers, Online Reviews Wednesday, November 18, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved an amended version of S. 2044, the Consumer Review Freedom Act, introduced by Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.), Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee Ranking Member Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). The bipartisan bill is also co-sponsored by the full committees Ranking Member, Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). The Commerce Committee held a hearing on the issue on November 4, 2015, with testimony from Ms. Jen Palmer, a plaintiff in Palmer v. KlearGear, where a company demanded the removal of a negative online review or payment of $3,500 in fines because the online merchants terms of service included a non-disparagement clause. When the review was not taken down, the company reported the unpaid $3,500 to a credit reporting agency as an outstanding debt, which negatively impacted the Palmers credit. Honest reviews on websites like Yelp and TripAdvisor encourage better business practices, promote competition, and give consumers a place to share their experiences and offer feedback, said Senator Schatz. These consumer reviews help so many of us decide what to buy and where to eat or stay, and no business should have the right to intimidate or stop consumers from sharing their opinions. Were making some good progress on our bill, and I will continue to work with Senators Thune and Moran to get the Consumer Review Freedom Act through Congress and onto the Presidents desk. Reviews offering blunt and honest criticism play an increasingly important role in helping customers select the best products and services, said Senator Thune. The Consumer Re… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-sullivan-and-schatz-work-to-pass-noaa-sexual-harassment-and-assault-prevention-legislation-out-of-commerce-committee | Senators Sullivan and Schatz Work to Pass NOAA Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Legislation Out of Commerce Committee | 2015-11-18 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senators Sullivan and Schatz Work to Pass NOAA Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Legislation Out of Commerce Committee Wednesday, November 18, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously approved S. 2206, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Act. U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced the legislation with bipartisan support from U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Thune (R-S.D.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). The bill directsNOAAto develop and adopt policies to protect its employees from sexual harassment and assault, contains provisions which update personnel practices for theNOAACorps, and reauthorizes funding to maintain the nations nautical charts, with an emphasis on the importance of up-to-date survey information for the Arctic. NOAAcurrently functions under the Department of Commerces sexual harassment policy and does not have its own specific procedures in place. This poses problems for the manyNOAAemployees and contractors who serve at sea or in remote areas. Earlier this year, Dr. Julia OHern, a NOAA contractor, wrote about her experiences in the Washington Post as she sought a fair review of her claims of sexual harassment. Without clear procedures, Dr. OHern faced challenge after challenge trying to seek justice. Her story can be found here. The legislation approved by the Commerce Committee today would address cases like Dr. OHerns by requiringNOAAto put such policies and procedures in place within one year of enactment. I was shocked to learn that NOAA lacked their own policies to address sexual assault and harassment, said Senator Sullivan. Regrettably, these issues are a problem, and having tailored procedures to respond is essential, particularly for those personnelmany of whom work for NOAA in Alaskadoing important work on ships at sea or in other relatively isolated condition… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-stands-up-for-climate-action-votes-down-republican-efforts-to-undermine-obama-climate-plans | Hirono Stands Up For Climate Action, Votes Down Republican Efforts To Undermine Obama Climate Plans | 2015-11-17 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Stands Up For Climate Action, Votes Down Republican Efforts To Undermine Obama Climate Plans Tuesday, November 17, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, voted today against two resolutions to overturn standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency as part of President Obamas Climate Action Plan to reduce pollution that harms public health and contributes to climate change. President Obama announced his intention to veto both resolutions. President Obama has taken important steps to clean our air and help reduce the harmful effects of climate change, said Senator Hirono. The Clean Power Plan will save thousands of lives nationwide annually. Instead of fighting Presidential actions that will have a huge benefit in the lives of so many, Congress should support efforts to address the environmental and national security consequences of continued dependence on fossil fuels and move forward with cleaner energy. The Clean Power Plan will reduce emissions from existing power plants. The EPA has deferred setting standards under the Clean Power Plan for Hawaii, Alaska, and the U.S. territories until the agency is able to gather additional information.The President's Climate Action Plan also sets nationwide performance standards for new or modified power plants. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-schatz-senate-republicans-creating-political-theater-in-an-attempt-to-undermine-climate-negotiators | Senator Schatz: Senate Republicans Creating Political Theater In An Attempt To Undermine Climate Negotiators | 2015-11-17 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Schatz: Senate Republicans Creating Political Theater In An Attempt To Undermine Climate Negotiators Tuesday, November 17, 2015 Washington, D.C Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, voted against partisan resolutions to roll back new rules that would regulate carbon pollution from new and existing power plants. Experts estimate that when the Clean Power Plan is fully in place in 2030, there will be 1,500 to 3,600 fewer premature deaths, 90,000 fewer asthma attacks in children, up to 1,700 fewer heart attacks, 1,700 fewer hospital admissions, and 300,000 fewer missed school and work days. The Clean Power Plan will also spur growth in the clean jobs industry by encouraging the development of cleaner, more efficient sources of power. Today, the Senate voted to roll back the first limits on carbon pollution imposed on our nations power plants, said Senator Schatz. This is purely political theater, with no chance of becoming law. If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle had their way, wed seean increase in carbon pollution that would threaten public health and our environment. That would accelerate climate change, cede our global leadership, and deny us theeconomic benefits of the Clean Power Plan. This is not a constructive proposal butan attempt to obfuscate the factsand undermine U.S. climate negotiators as they work to craft an international agreement to slow the pace of global warming. The rest of the world is acting on climate, and an overwhelming majority of Americans agree that its time we do the same. The Republican resolutions passed with a partisan vote of 52-46 and face certain vetoes from President Obama. Earlier today, Senator Schatz spoke on the Senate floor to defend the Presidents Clean Power Plan. To watch video of Senator Schatzs floor speech, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-schatz-kaine-collins-murray-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-help-prevent-youth-homelessness-and-keep-struggling-families-together | Senators Schatz, Kaine, Collins, Murray Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Help Prevent Youth Homelessness Keep Struggling Families Together | 2015-11-17 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senators Schatz, Kaine, Collins, Murray Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Help Prevent Youth Homelessness & Keep Struggling Families Together Tuesday, November 17, 2015 Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced legislation to help prevent youth homelessness, improve support services and housing for youth and families, and help ensure children are raised in supportive, stable households. The Family Unification, Preservation and Modernization Act would improve supportive housing - programs that integrate housing with social services and policies for children and families at risk of homelessness, keeping families together who might otherwise enter the child welfare system. It would also increase access to social services for youth aging out of the foster care system as they transition to adulthood. It is our moral obligation to make sure the most vulnerable in our communities, especially children, have the resources and services they need to lead productive lives. Thats why Im proud to join Senators Kaine, Collins, and Murray in introducing the Family Unification Modernization and Improvement Act, said Senator Schatz. The sensible changes in this bill will make the Family Unification Program work better for families on the verge of homelessness, as well as young people in Hawaii who are aging out of the foster care system and need some help to secure safe, affordable housing. Studies have shown that housing instability is linked to poor outcomes for children. Unsafe housing conditions and homelessness can threaten the safety of a child and can lead to an investigation by the local child welfare agency, out-of-home placement or a delay in family reunification. Homelessness may also lead families to voluntarily place their children in foster care while searching for housing, and families may be separated because of policies that exclude teenagers, especially boys, from shelters. … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-honda-praise-awarding-of-presidential-medal-of-freedom-to-civil-rights-leader-minoru-yasui | Hirono, Honda Praise Awarding Of Presidential Medal Of Freedom To Civil Rights Leader Minoru Yasui | 2015-11-16 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono, Honda Praise Awarding Of Presidential Medal Of Freedom To Civil Rights Leader Minoru Yasui Monday, November 16, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono and Representative Mike Honda (D-CA) commended President Obamas announcement that Minoru Yasui, who protested the illegal incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Minoru Yasui stood up for what was right at a time of injustice toward Japanese Americans, said Senator Hirono. I am proud to have worked with so many passionate advocates in support of this nomination. The Presidential Medal of Freedom to Mr. Yasui recognizes him not only for his courageous stand during the time of the unjust internment of Japanese Americans, but for his lifelong commitment to civil rights and social justice. "Min Yasui was an American civil rights leader who bravely challenged our governments incarceration of Americans of Japanese ancestry in WWII in theSupreme Court, said Representative Honda. I am proud to have joined Senator Hirono and Representative DeGette, along with many of our House and Senate colleagues, to support his nomination for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This Medal expresses our countrys appreciation for the continued lessons we learn from his courage and lifetime of advocating for civil rights, providing legal assistance to Japanese American and immigrant communities, and building bridges with communities of color.Iam thrilled to congratulate Mr. Yasui on his well-deserved recognition. It will shed light on his dedication, and inspire others to make contributions of their own. The Presidential Medal of Freedom for my father is a historic achievement for the community and such an honor for my family, said Holly Yasui, daughter of Minoru Yasui. We arethankful to President Obama for the award and to Senator Hironofor making the nomination, and Representative Hondaand others for supporting my father for this honor. "I am deep… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-to-host-federal-grants-webinar | Hirono to Host Federal Grants Webinar | 2015-11-12 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono to Host Federal Grants Webinar In support of the Arts, Humanities, Culture, and Linguistics Programs Thursday, November 12, 2015 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER:http://bit.ly/1kg9jL8 HONOLULU - Senator Mazie K. Hirono will host a federal grants webinar in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Individuals and nonprofit organizations interested in learning about federal funding opportunities for their respective arts, culture or linguistics programs are invited to join the free webinar on Tuesday, November 17, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. I have long been and continue to be a proud supporter of the arts. Whether its music, literature, visual arts or other performing arts, these endeavors enrich our lives and fill our spirit, said Senator Hirono. I strongly urge art-focused organizations or anyone who has a passion for the arts and culture to participate in this federal grants webinar. Arts and cultural organizations are the lifeblood of the Hawaii community, said volunteer arts advocate Melissa Pavlicek. Helping arts and cultural organizations connect with governmental grant funders will strengthen the local community. The webinar will feature presentations by the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services and will include: - Examples of how grants are implemented in other communities - Upcoming grant opportunities - Tips for applying for grants - Eligibility, application criteria, and the review process - How to connect with these federal agencies Interested organizations can register at http://bit.ly/1kg9jL8. Once youve registered, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Participating Federal Agencies: National Endowment for the Humanities -- Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities s… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-secures-hawaii-priorities-in-defense-authorization-military-construction-and-va-funding-bill | Hirono Secures Hawaii Priorities In Defense Authorization, Military Construction & VA Funding Bill | 2015-11-10 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Secures Hawaii Priorities In Defense Authorization, Military Construction & VA Funding Bill Legislation Includes Over $400 Million In Hawaii Projects; Funding Is Part Of Bipartisan Budget Deal Senator Hirono Supported Tuesday, November 10, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committees, today voted in support of both the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (VA) Appropriations Act. The Military Construction and VA Appropriations Act includes important provisions for Hawaii including funding for $444 million in Hawaii military construction projects, an increase in funding for veterans health care, and a provision authored by Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) and Senator Hirono to protect benefits for Filipino World War II veterans. Hawaiis key role in the Asia-Pacific continues to be reflected in the NDAA and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, said Senator Hirono. The bills passed by the Senate today are the product of bipartisan compromise. The Military Construction and VA bill includes over $444 million in Hawaii projects and supports critical facility improvements and earned benefits for military families and our veterans. The NDAA provides the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces the resources, equipment, and training necessary to complete their missions. Approval of the NDAA and Military Construction and VA Appropriations Act was made possible after Congress reached a bipartisan compromise that lifted harmful sequester caps on both military and domestic spending. Senator Hirono was a strong voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee for revising the NDAA after Republicans sought to use a budget gimmick to sidestep the budget caps for defense without corresponding efforts to raise funding levels for important non-defense priorities like law enforcement, education, medical research, transportation and community dev… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-statement-on-veterans-day2015 | Schatz Statement on Veterans Day | 2015-11-10 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Schatz Statement on Veterans Day Tuesday, November 10, 2015 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) released the following statement today in honor of Veterans Day: On Veterans Day, Americans remember and give thanks to veterans past and present. Every gesture matters today, whether it is laying a wreath at Punchbowl Cemetery, marching in the Waianae Veterans Day Parade, or simply saying thank you for your service. But our commitment to the more than 120,000 veterans who call Hawaii home requires more than a gesture. These veterans and their families have real needs, and we have a moral, social, and financial obligation to be there for them -- an obligation we must honor today and every day. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-military-construction-and-va-appropriations-bill-with-hawaii-priorities | Senate Passes Military Construction and VA Appropriations Bill With Hawaii Priorities | 2015-11-10 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senate Passes Military Construction and VA Appropriations Bill With Hawaii Priorities Senator Schatz Worked to Include $444 Million for Military Construction in Hawaii Tuesday, November 10, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, the Senate passed the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2016. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, worked to include $444 million for military construction projects across Hawaii. The $444 million in funding for military construction projects that the Senate approved today reflects the long-term investment that the Department of Defense is making in Hawaii,said Senator Schatz.Our location, training environment, and knowledge of the Asia Pacific are central to the Defense Departments strategic engagement in the region. This appropriations bill ensures that the military will have the facilities, capabilities, and infrastructure it needs to sustain Hawaiis role in Americas long-term rebalance to the Asia Pacific. The Senate bill also includes language that Senator Schatz secured that would grant the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the authority to enter in cooperative agreements with entities to train and employ at-risk veterans in natural resource conservation management. There are promising careers in conservation management for our veterans. Whether it is to fight wildfires, restore coastlines, or protect forests, veterans have skills that can be put to work in every part of the country, said Senator Schatz. The VA has experience and expertise in the care of veterans and providing services that support their transition to a civilian life. The authority this language provides will allow the VA to match up veterans not only with important services, but also with programs that will put them on a solid career path moving forward. Funding for Hawaii military construction projects in the Senate Military Constru… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-schatz-introduces-legislation-to-promote-unlicensed-spectrum | Senator Schatz Introduces Legislation To Promote Unlicensed Spectrum | 2015-11-10 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Schatz Introduces Legislation To Promote Unlicensed Spectrum Tuesday, November 10, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ranking Member of the Senate Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee, introduced the Promoting Unlicensed Spectrum Act, legislation that would ensure our national spectrum pipeline strategy includes a thoughtful approach to unlicensed spectrum. As unlicensed spectrum usage continues to grow, our national spectrum policy should reflect the critical role it plays in innovation and our economy, said Senator Schatz. My legislation will make sure we develop an aggressive plan to ensure that unlicensed spectrum will be available in the future, giving consumers more options and providing innovators with the foundation to develop new ideas and products. As the Commerce Committee considers a strategy to expand a spectrum pipeline for the future, it is critical to ensure unlicensed spectrum is a central piece of our overall strategy. The Promoting Unlicensed Spectrum Act calls for the creation of a National Unlicensed Spectrum Strategy and requires the Federal Communications Commission to establish a process that will ensure that future spectrum allocation and assignment actions produce a balance between licensed and unlicensed bands. Evan Engstrom, Policy Director of Engine, a non-profit technology research and policy coalition, said, Unlicensed spectrum represents an investment in the futuresomething that innovators can capitalize on to create tomorrow's new technologies. By some estimates, the economic value of unlicensed spectrum exceeds $140 billion. As startups and entrepreneurs build and develop the next generation of Internet applications, wireless devices, and innovative services, they depend on access to these unlicensed airwaves. The Promoting Unlicensed Spectrum Act of 2015 would ensure that unlicensed spectrum is central to any future spectrum strategy, and we welcome the bill's introductio… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/updated-national-defense-bill-passes-senate | Updated National Defense Bill Passes Senate | 2015-11-10 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Updated National Defense Bill Passes Senate Tuesday, November 10, 2015 Washington, D.C. The U.S. Senate passed a revised 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 91-3. The updated bill will authorize funding for programs important to Hawaiis economy and military community. The defense authorization bill includes many provisions that strengthen our national defense, reinforce the need to rebalance to the Asia Pacificthrough which Hawaii is centraland provide our service members with the equipment and training they need to protect America, said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). Congress worked in a bipartisan manner to find a way to authorize funding for the militarys core operations and ensure that we can continue to provide for our service members and their families. The 2016 NDAA includes a number of provisions that will benefit Hawaiis economy and military community. In addition to authorizing the $444 million in military construction projects that the Senate approved appropriations for today, the NDAA also: Prohibits DoD from conducting another Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC): Congress does not believe that it would provide the Defense Department the savings it needs to manage its fiscal challenges and would only hurt service members and their families. Authorizes more than $12.8 million for Maui research and development: The bill authorizes funding for the Maui Space Surveillance System, a one-of-a-kind electro-optical facility that supports the Air Forces efforts to track, identify, and characterize space objects of interest including the Dynamic Optical Telescope System. Authorizes more than $203 million to sustain the militarys environmental restoration activities: The bill authorizes funding to continue efforts to identify and remove unexploded ordnance at former military sites across the neighbor islands, ensuring that military training and activities remain in balance with Hawaiis cultural and environmental needs. … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/op-ed-gabbard-says-wait-time-va-exposed-failures | Op-Ed: Gabbard says wait time at VA exposed failures | 2015-11-08 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | By: U.S. Rep Tulsi Gabbard, Honolulu Star-Advertiser Published: November 8, 2015 The effect and cost of war on our troops is undeniable. It takes a toll on the toughest among them. Coming home should offer peace and a chance to heal. But the reality is that our veterans often come home indelibly changed, marked with the scars of war. They deal with wounds that are both visible and invisible. I've seen firsthand the true cost of war, and through our veterans, we see how that cost continues long after they come home. Forty years ago, 75 percent of Congress had served our country in uniform. Today, that number has dropped to just 18 percent. Sadly, it shows. One of the main reasons I ran for Congress was to bring voice to my brothers and sisters in uniform, to stop our country's leaders from sending them into harm's way to fight unnecessary wars of choice, and to honor their service by caring for them when they come home. Last year, our country's failure to fulfill its promise to our veterans was starkly exposed. At the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), veterans faced wait times of 90 days or more to see a doctor. Hawaii veterans experienced the worst wait times in the country, averaging 145 days -- almost five months -- for a simple primary care visit. Unfortunately, these inexcusable wait times have only scratched the surface of the systemic problems that still exist within the VA and the obstacles that stand in the way of our veterans getting the care they need. Of all the calls and requests for assistance my office gets, veterans who need help make up the vast majority. Far too many veterans in our state are still being dishonored -- a Kauai veteran whose documents have been repeatedly misplaced by the VA and VBA (Veterans Benefits Administration); a disabled medic with post-traumatic stress disorder on Maui whose request for an evaluation so he can obtain a service dog is stuck in a bureaucratic appeals case; or a veteran on Hawaii island with cancer whose benefits were just reduce… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/hirono-says-range-of-aid-includes-homes-funds | Hirono says range of aid includes homes, funds | 2015-11-08 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono says range of aid includes homes, funds By: Senator Mazie K. Hirono Sunday, November 8, 2015 Each Veterans Day, we take the time to express our appreciation to the men, women and families who have so honorably served our nation. Over 14 years of continuous combat operations have taken a toll on our all-volunteer force and their families. President Barack Obama's recent announcement that 50 U.S. Special Forces will deploy to Syria to support our partners in the region raises questions about the United States' role in the Middle East. We deserve to hear more information on this latest action and I will continue to oppose a prolonged military campaign that puts U.S. combat boots on the ground in Syria. Every time our country considers military engagement around the world, we must be prepared to keep our promise to these service members by providing them with the care that they need and the benefits that they have earned when they return home as veterans. Too many of our veterans face difficulties adjusting to civilian life. Here in Hawaii, we continue to address the serious issue of veteran homelessness. Carl is one veteran who struggled to overcome homelessness. His story is one that should not only give us hope but also renew the desire to do all that we can to support our veterans and work to end homelessness in Hawaii. A U.S. Army veteran, Carl and his partner Priscilla had been in a 30-year relationship. They lived comfortably until four years ago when they were laid off from their jobs. The couple tried to keep up with their expenses - rent, utilities, food and other basic needs. But, it all became too much to handle and they eventually landed on the streets. Carl found shelter at the U.S. VETS units in Kalaeloa. Prisci… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/khon2-hawaii-representatives-introduce-talia-s-law-capitol-hill | KHON2: Hawaii representatives introduce Talias Law on Capitol Hill | 2015-11-06 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Hawaii representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Mark Takai introduced a bill on Capitol Hill Tuesday aimed at protecting children of military families. Talias Law was named in honor of five-year-old Talia Williams, who was beaten to death by her father, then-Army soldier Naeem Williams, in 2008 after suffering years of abuse. They were stationed at Schofield Barracks at the time, along with his wife, Delilah Williams, who also admitted guilt in a plea deal. Tarshia Williams, the girls biological mother, said the military missed many opportunities to report the abuse. Gabbard explained the bill would require military officials to immediately report suspected cases of abuse to state Child Protective Services. We owe it to our service members, their families, and thousands of children like Talia to disrupt the status quo and stop another decade of preventable child abuse. Naeem Williams was sentenced to life in prison in February. Delilah Williams is serving 20 years. Tarshia Williams settled with the government for $2 million in June. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-schatz-lauds-rejection-of-keystone-xl-pipeline | Senator Schatz Lauds Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline | 2015-11-06 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Schatz Lauds Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline Friday, November 6, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, praised President Obamas official rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline. Climate change is the greatest challenge of our generation, and it is time to transition away from dirty energy projects like Keystone and move toward clean renewable energy. Todays rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline is a victory for our environment, for our communities, and for our country. The climate action community is thrilled with this decision. It gives us more momentum and credibility going into the climate talks. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-schatz-the-clean-power-plan-is-the-most-important-tol-we-have-right-now-to-fight-climate-change | Senator Schatz: The Clean Power Plan is the Most Important tool we Have Right Now to Fight Climate Change | 2015-11-06 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Schatz: The Clean Power Plan is the Most Important tool we Have Right Now to Fight Climate Change Friday, November 6, 2015 Washington, D.C. Last night, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D- Hawaii), a member of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, spoke on the Senate floor to discuss solutions to climate change, including addressing deforestation and the Administrations Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan has sent a signal to the rest of the world that the United States is serious about preventing catastrophic changes to our climate, said Senator Schatz. This is the challenge of our generation. This is our obligation as the indispensable nation. The United States has to lead, and the United States Senate has to have a real debate on climate and energy policy. Senator Schatz said, We have at our disposal a wide range of solutions for reining in our emissions of carbon pollution. Addressing deforestation is one of the most effective, and cost-effective, ways to slow global warming, while enhancing the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people that rely on forests and the services they provide. To watch a clip of Senator Schatzs floor speech, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/view/sen-brian-schatz-on-the-impact-of-deforestation | Sen. Brian Schatz on the Impact of Deforestation | 2015-11-06 | 2015 | 2015-11 | 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-red-hill-agreement-woefully-inadequate | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Red Hill Agreement is Woefully Inadequate | 2015-11-05 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCAfter touring the Red Hill fuel storage facility in August, closely reviewing the revised Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) and Scope of Work (SOW) announced October 1, discussing my concerns with the Navy, Defense Logistics Agency, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Hawaii State Legislators, community stakeholders, and my constituents, I have concluded that the finalized AOC is woefully inadequate in its attempt to address the threat of fuel leaks contaminating our groundwater aquifer. The Red Hill fuel storage facility was built during a critical time during World War II, and has supplied fuel for military operations in the Pacific since 1943. However, the reality is today, no such underground fuel storage facility would ever be allowed to be built over a water aquifer which supplies 25% of our island's water. It's critical that the Navy reconsider alternative fuel storage options in Hawaii and the Asia-Pacific region that would decrease overall risk to our groundwater, and provide potential cost-savings in the long run. If relocation is not feasible, then, at a minimum, the Navy should immediately take action to eliminate the constant threat of fuel contamination to Oahu's drinking water resources. While there are many concerns with the agreement, there are 4 primary issues that must be addressed by the Parties to the AOC: 1) Advanced leak detection and corrosion prevention Existing leak detection practices are insufficient and inadequate to prevent another leakage of thousands of gallons of fuel into our aquifer. There should be hourly inspections of fuel levels in all tanks, automated systems that sound alarms upon any change in fuel levels, and an expedited plan to empty a tank as soon as a leak is detected, to prevent further fuel leaks from the tanks and potential groundwater contamination. 2) Install secondary containment/double-lining or better The Navy has conducted multiple studies, including two in 1998 and 2008, that reached the same conclusion: To keep our water saf… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-fights-to-ensure-social-security-increase-for-seniors-and-veterans | Hirono Fights To Ensure Social Security Increase For Seniors & Veterans | 2015-11-05 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Fights To Ensure Social Security Increase For Seniors & Veterans Joins Senator Warren In Introducing Emergency Social Security COLA Increase Thursday, November 5, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and a coalition of 15 other U.S. Senators to introduce the SAVE Benefits Act, legislation that would provide Social Security beneficiaries with a modest Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) starting in 2016. For only the third time in more than 40 years, seniors will not receive a COLA increase in 2016. In Hawaii, one out of four seniors relies on Social Security as their only source of income, said Senator Hirono. Many Hawaii seniors have told me their costs for essential goods keep rising, and yet there will be no Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment come January. This is why I support Senator Warren's SAVE Benefits Act- to provide our seniors with a modest Cost of Living increase next year. This bill is fully paid for by closing loopholes that currently give taxpayer benefits to millionaires and billionaires. Senator Hirono also took to the Senate floor to highlight the need for the SAVE Benefits Acts average $580 increase, especially as seniors face higher costs for medication and basic necessities. Click on the photo below to watch Senator Hironos floor speech. The SAVE Benefits Act is supported by AFL-CIO, AFSCME, Alliance for Retired Americans, The ARC of the United States, B'nai B'rith International, Campaign for America's Future, Center for Community Change, Center for Effective Government, CREDO, Daily Kos, Democracy for America, Economic Opportunity Institute, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Justice in Aging, MoveOn.org, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, National Council of La Raza, National Organization for Women, OWL-the Voice of Women 40+, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action, Social Security Works, Strengthen Social Security Coal… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/as-veterans-day-approaches-sen-schatz-and-reps-pocan-rangel-urge-congress-to-pass-restore-honor-to-service-members-act | As Veterans Day Approaches, Sen. Schatz Reps. Pocan, Rangel Urge Congress to Pass Restore Honor to Service Members Act | 2015-11-05 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | As Veterans Day Approaches, Sen. Schatz & Reps. Pocan, Rangel Urge Congress to Pass Restore Honor to Service Members Act Legislation Would Correct Record of Service Members Discharged Due to Sexual Orientation Thursday, November 5, 2015 Washington, DC Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.) Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Members of the LGBT Equality Caucus urged the passage of the Restore Honor to Service Members Act at a press conference on Capitol Hill. The legislation would help service members discharged solely due to their sexual orientation correct their military records to reflect their honorable service and reinstate the benefits they earned. We have a sacred commitment to every American who serves in our military. But for the 100,000 brave Americans who were forced out for being gay, we have failed to honor that commitment, said Senator Schatz. The Restore Honor to Service Members Act would give these veterans a chance to correct their military recordsto remove an unwarranted discharge that was given to them for no other reason than being gay. It would remove the mark of shame they carry, give them access to benefits, and finally give them the respect and honor they rightly deserve. As we approach Veterans Day, its important to remember the sacrifices our veterans have made for our country, said Rep. Pocan, co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. This includes the selfless service of more than 100,000 veterans who were discharged from the military because of their sexual orientation. Our legislation ensures that gay veterans who served our country no longer live with tarnished records that prohibit them from receiving the recognition, benefits and honors they deserve. "As a veteran, I know that our men and women in uniform give all to serve our country with great honor, said Rep. Rangel. We can no longer delay honoring these veterans who deserve long overdue recognition. We struck down Dont Ask, Dont… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://gabbard.house.gov/index.php/press-releases/516-video-rep-tulsi-gabbard-lawmakers-introduce-legislation-to-fight-invasive-species-across-u-s | VIDEO: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Fight Invasive Species Across U.S. | 2015-11-04 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCToday Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) was joined by Reps. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), John Garamendi (CA-03), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), and Pedro Pierluisi (PR) in introducing the Areawide Integrated Pest Management Act (AIPM) of 2015 to support long-term and sustainable solutions to fighting invasive species. The legislation will support farmers, ranchers, and land managers by reducing the impact of harmful invasive species on crops, livestock, and forest areas. In a speech on the House floor, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard stated, In Hawai'i, invasive species like the coffee berry borer, fruit flies, and macadamia nut felted coccid and others have cost our local farmers and agriculture industry millions in lost revenue. Across the United States, these pests, along with other invasive insects, diseases, and weeds, cause serious and harmful damage to our farmlands, agricultural production, food supply, environment, and public health. In Hawai'i, AIPMs have helped increase the number of commercial farms, and have helped local farmers increase their crop diversity, decrease the use of harmful pesticides, and manage the pests in a sustainable and cost-effective way. This legislation will help farmers, ranchers, and land managers all across the country reduce the impact of these harmful invasive species. More and more parts of the country are confronting invasive species and the spread of tick-borne diseases. Just spraying more pesticides isn't the best answer and taking a thoughtful approach to an integrated pest management strategy makes a lot of sense, said Rep. Chellie Pingree. The threat of invasive species is flying under the radar, but its time Congress paid more attention, said Rep. John Garamendi. Invasive species threaten our waterways, our agriculture, and our precious and fragile native ecosystems. The Areawide Integrated Pest Management Program Act will consolidate efforts to combat the threat of invasive species and other pests, and provide smarter and more efficient use of federal dollars. Managing invasi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/video-rep-tulsi-gabbard-lawmakers-introduce-legislation-fight-invasive-species | VIDEO: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Fight Invasive Species Across U.S. | 2015-11-04 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCToday Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) was joined by Reps. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), John Garamendi (CA-03), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), and Pedro Pierluisi (PR) in introducing the Areawide Integrated Pest Management Act (AIPM) of 2015 to support long-term and sustainable solutions to fighting invasive species. The legislation will support farmers, ranchers, and land managers by reducing the impact of harmful invasive species on crops, livestock, and forest areas. In a speech on the House floor, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard stated, In Hawai'i, invasive species like the coffee berry borer, fruit flies, and macadamia nut felted coccid and others have cost our local farmers and agriculture industry millions in lost revenue. Across the United States, these pests, along with other invasive insects, diseases, and weeds, cause serious and harmful damage to our farmlands, agricultural production, food supply, environment, and public health. In Hawai'i, AIPMs have helped increase the number of commercial farms, and have helped local farmers increase their crop diversity, decrease the use of harmful pesticides, and manage the pests in a sustainable and cost-effective way. This legislation will help farmers, ranchers, and land managers all across the country reduce the impact of these harmful invasive species. More and more parts of the country are confronting invasive species and the spread of tick-borne diseases. Just spraying more pesticides isn't the best answer and taking a thoughtful approach to an integrated pest management strategy makes a lot of sense, said Rep. Chellie Pingree. The threat of invasive species is flying under the radar, but it's time Congress paid more attention, said Rep. John Garamendi. Invasive species threaten our waterways, our agriculture, and our precious and fragile native ecosystems. The Areawide Integrated Pest Management Program Act will consolidate efforts to combat the threat of invasive species and other pests, and provide smarter and more efficient use of federal dollars. Managing invas… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-schatz-and-klobuchar-call-on-state-department-to-use-gao-findings-to-streamline-visa-processing | Senators Schatz and Klobuchar Call on State Department to Use GAO Findings to Streamline Visa Processing | 2015-11-04 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senators Schatz and Klobuchar Call on State Department to Use GAO Findings to Streamline Visa Processing Senators Request Additional GAO Report On Foreign Service Staff Wednesday, November 4, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), members of the Senate Commerce Committee and Co-Chairs of the Senate Tourism Caucus, wrote to the State Department to follow up on a recently released report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that evaluated the State Departments capacity to meet the expected increase in demand for travel visas. The report, which was requested by Senators Schatz and Klobuchar, found that while the State Department has taken a number of steps to meet the current visa demand, more needs to be done to ensure that the department can meet the rising demand for visas. In their letter to the State Department, the Senators wrote, In its recent report, GAO recognized States effortssuch as dedicating more personnel to consular services and opening additional consulatesto increase NIV processing capacity and shorten applicant interview wait periods. However, GAO raised concerns about States ability to meet the visa demand in the long-term given hiring constraints and that the NIV demand is expected to increase 45 percent by 2019. It is clear that State should conduct a comprehensive assessment of its efforts and develop a strategy on how it plans to meet the rising visa demand. Should State fail to take the necessary actions, our country could revert to pre-2012 excessive visa processing delays, which would have a costly impact on the U.S. travel and tourism industry and our overall economy. The GAOs key findings: Visa demand has historically impacted States ability to efficiently process visas. State projects that the number of nonimmigrant visa applicants will rise worldwide from 12.4 million in FY 2014 to 18 million in FY 2019, a 45% increase. In addition, East Asia and Pacific region wi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://gabbard.house.gov/index.php/press-releases/515-video-rep-tulsi-gabbard-introduces-talia-s-law-to-mandate-reporting-of-child-abuse-on-military-bases | VIDEO: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Introduces Talias Law to Mandate Reporting of Child Abuse on Military Bases | 2015-11-03 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Legislation To Close the Gap in Current Reporting Requirements Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and twice-deployed combat veteran, introduced Talias Law with Rep. Mark Takai (HI-01). In 2005, five-year old Talia Williams was beaten to death by her father who was stationed in Hawaii. Through the legal proceedings against her father, it was revealed that multiple federal employees, including military police and workers at her on-base child care facility, failed to report suspected signs of Talias abuse. The bill would close the gap between mandated reporters of child abuse and the militarys Family Advocacy Programs (FAP) reporting on their behalf, by requiring mandated reporters to report suspected child abuse or neglect directly to State Child Protective Services. Talia's tragic story is just one of over 29,000 cases of child abuse and neglect in military homes over the last decade. This is a problem that demands better protections for our children in military families who are being abused, and better support for military families facing the stresses of war, multiple deployments, and economic hardship, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said in a speech on the House floor. Ive introduced Talia's Law today to require military officials to immediately report suspected cases of abuse to State Child Protective Services. We owe it to our service members, their families, and thousands of children like Talia to disrupt the status quo and stop another decade of preventable child abuse. This change of law is an issue that the Hawaii delegation must lead on, said Rep. Mark Takai. Our military keiki should never feel unsafe or neglected. I hope that through Talia's Law we make the necessary changes to protect these military families and their children. There should never be a situation where child abuse can be neglected simply because the information did not make it to the right person." Background: Currently, the militarys Family Advocacy Programs identify individuals who a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/video-rep-tulsi-gabbard-introduces-talia-s-law-mandate-reporting-child-abuse | VIDEO: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Introduces Talias Law to Mandate Reporting of Child Abuse on Military Bases | 2015-11-03 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Legislation To Close the Gap in Current Reporting Requirements Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and twice-deployed combat veteran, introduced Talia's Law with Rep. Mark Takai (HI-01). In 2005, five-year old Talia Williams was beaten to death by her father who was stationed in Hawaii. Through the legal proceedings against her father, it was revealed that multiple federal employees, including military police and workers at her on-base child care facility, failed to report suspected signs of Talia's abuse. The bill would close the gap between mandated reporters of child abuse and the military's Family Advocacy Programs (FAP) reporting on their behalf, by requiring mandated reporters to report suspected child abuse or neglect directly to State Child Protective Services. Talia's tragic story is just one of over 29,000 cases of child abuse and neglect in military homes over the last decade. This is a problem that demands better protections for our children in military families who are being abused, and better support for military families facing the stresses of war, multiple deployments, and economic hardship, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said in a speech on the House floor. I've introduced Talia's Law today to require military officials to immediately report suspected cases of abuse to State Child Protective Services. We owe it to our service members, their families, and thousands of children like Talia to disrupt the status quo and stop another decade of preventable child abuse. This change of law is an issue that the Hawaii delegation must lead on, said Rep. Mark Takai. Our military keiki should never feel unsafe or neglected. I hope that through Talia's Law we make the necessary changes to protect these military families and their children. There should never be a situation where child abuse can be neglected simply because the information did not make it to the right person." Background: Currently, the military's Family Advocacy Programs identify individuals … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/gao-report-more-work-needed-to-protect-communities-from-the-wide-ranging-impacts-of-climate-change-on-public-health | GAO Report: More Work Needed to Protect Communities From the Wide-Ranging Impacts of Climate Change on Public Health | 2015-11-03 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | GAO Report: More Work Needed to Protect Communities From the Wide-Ranging Impacts of Climate Change on Public Health Tuesday, November 3, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), released a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) evaluating the ability of federal agencies to address the public health risks of climate change. The report found that while federal agencies are planning for and taking steps to address the public health risks of climate change, more work must be done to communicate the health risks of climate change to communities across the nation, and to bolster research to further understand how climate change will impact health. The effects of climate change are already being felt in Hawaii and across the country. Extreme weather not only threatens the health of our environment, it threatens the health of every American. This new report underscores the challenges federal agencies face when combating the growing public health risks posed by climate change. While the GAO report makes recommendations on how we can prepare for current and anticipated health effects caused by climate change, we must also do more to mitigate its impacts and lead the world in helping solve this great challenge, said Senator Brian Schatz. We have a moral obligation to tackle the devastating impacts of climate change on families and communities nationwide, and protecting public health must be a key part of this effort, said Senator Patty Murray. This report makes clear that while agencies are taking steps to respond to public health challenges posed by climate change, we should do more to strengthen understanding of the health risks … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-to-ceos-dont-give-up-on-congress-in-climate-efforts | Senators to CEOs: Dont Give Up on Congress in Climate Efforts | 2015-11-03 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senators to CEOs: Dont Give Up on Congress in Climate Efforts Tuesday, November 3, 2015 Washington, D.C. With more than 80 major corporations now signed onto the White Houses American Business Act on Climate Pledge, a group of U.S. Senators is writing to the CEOs of those companies to applaud their commitment, but to also deliver an important message: dont forget about Congress. All of the Presidents work is critical, but Congress can play a key role in achieving our climate goals, the Senators write. From our perspective your commitments have yet to resonate with many in Congress. Too often the voices of strong corporate leaders are contradicted by the trade associations of which they are a part. Corporate lobbying groups need to change their policy positions on climate if they are to reflect the opinions of members who are committed to climate action. The letter was led by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). Joining Whitehouse on todays letter are Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), and Gary C. Peters (D-Mich.). The full text of the letter is below. A PDF of one of the signed letters is available here. November 3, 2015 Dear CEO: We are immensely grateful for your leadership on climate issues and for your participation in the White House corporate event on climate. It is so important that corporate leaders take responsibility for sustainable operations and a sustainable supply chain. It is vital that corporate leaders support the Clean Power Plan and a strong COP21 agreement in Paris. But please do not give up on Congress. All of the Presidents work is critical, but Congress can play a key role in achieving our climate goals. We are overjoyed to read about corporate climate commitments, and support companies that demonstrate these commitments clearly and consistently. From our perspective your c… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-congress-needs-to-hear-more-on-broader-strategy-to-defeat-isil-and-stabilize-syria | Hirono: Congress Needs To Hear More On Broader Strategy To Defeat ISIL & Stabilize Syria | 2015-10-30 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono: Congress Needs To Hear More On Broader Strategy To Defeat ISIL & Stabilize Syria Friday, October 30, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on the Obama Administrations announcement of additional military commitments in the Middle East: Congress and the American people need to hear more details from the Administration about how the deployment of a team of approximately 50 Special Operations Forces to Syria and other additional resources being provided to our regional partners fit into a broader strategy to defeat ISIL and stabilize Syria. The Presidents latest decision, which follows a number of other instances where Special Operations Forces have been on the ground in Syria, raises the question of whether a prolonged military campaign against ISIL requires the need for specific Congressional authority. The civil war in Syria and our coalition fight against ISIL there add layers of complexity in a country and region where there are no easy answers. These two complicating factors in Syria require a multi-pronged approach. I support Secretary Kerrys efforts to bring parties, including Russia and Iran, to the table to begin to find a diplomatic path forward to end the Syrian civil war. In our effort to degrade and destroy ISIL, the President has reiterated that it is not in our national interest to send U.S. combat troops into yet another ground war in the Middle East. I agree, and as a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, I will hold the Administration to that commitment. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-supports-bipartisan-budget-agreement | Hirono Supports Bipartisan Budget Agreement | 2015-10-30 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Supports Bipartisan Budget Agreement Friday, October 30, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted early this morning to support a two-year budget agreement that removes caps put in place by the Budget Control Act for two years and keeps the country from defaulting on its debt. The measure overwhelmingly passed the Senate 64-35. This bipartisan measure is a reasonable compromise that protects our seniors, keeps our economy on track, and takes a number of manufactured crises off the table for two years, said Senator Hirono. By removing harmful sequester caps on both military and domestic spending, this legislation is the first step to enacting a National Defense Authorization Act that appropriately supports our military and avoiding a government shutdown in December. While this agreement is not the one I would have written, it is a pathway to negotiating appropriations bills that adequately fund priorities like education, housing and community development, medical research, and job creation. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-schatz-statement-on-deployment-of-special-operations-forces-to-syria | Senator Schatz Statement on Deployment of Special Operations Forces to Syria | 2015-10-30 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Schatz Statement on Deployment of Special Operations Forces to Syria Friday, October 30, 2015 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement on the Administrations announcement that it will deploy a small number of Special Operations Forces to Syria: The Administrations announcement that it will deploy Special Operations Forces into Syria to combat ISIL marks a major shift in U.S. policya shift that is occurring without congressional debate, is unlikely to succeed in achieving our objective of defeating ISIL and instead threatens to embroil the United States in Syrias civil war and could bring us into direct confrontation with the Russian Federation military and Syrian government forces. In the 16-months since the United States began its participation in the regional fight against ISIL, our military involvement has escalated without a clear sense of how our escalating involvement will achieve our strategic objectives. With ISILs control of northern Syria, we cannot reasonably expect that the deployment of Special Operations Forces would be limited in scope or duration. As we have seen from our failed train and equip program, U.S. support for moderate Syrian opposition has its limits. Rather than ratchet up our own involvement, we must look for other opportunities to strengthen the coalitions ability to effectively prosecute the fight against ISIL. This shift in policy is a strategic mistake. Regardless of my views, the War Powers Resolution requires Congress to debate and authorize the escalation of U.S. military involvement in Syria. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/hawaii-congressional-delegation-announces-new-valuation-method-locally-grown | Hawai'i Congressional Delegation Announces New Valuation Method for Locally Grown Coffee | 2015-10-29 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCToday, the Hawai'i Congressional Delegation praised the announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will provide a green bean pricing valuation for Hawai'i-grown coffee starting in January 2016. Currently, Hawai'i coffee farm gate value is based on parchment rather than green bean. Green bean coffee valuation will more accurately reflect market values and make reporting easier for growers. Despite achieving global recognition, Hawai'i-grown coffee has long been valued differently than most of the global coffee market, said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02). This announcement by the USDA to value Hawai'i coffee in the same way as the global coffee marketplace will better align with global valuation standards, increase the value of Hawai'i-grown coffee, and help attract additional research and development funds to support our local coffee farmers and industry. Hawai'i is our nation's only domestic coffee producer, and this change will help strengthen our coffee industry and increase its potential for growth. The USDA currently understates the value of Hawai'i's coffee crops, which impacts the availability of financing, and the importance of coffee to the U.S. economy, said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). This action by the USDA will make it easier for Hawaii farmers to get loans, and to secure federal funding for research and pest control. "This change will increase the reported value of Hawai'i-grown coffee to more accurately reflect its critical role in Hawai'i agriculture as well as its position in the global coffee market, said Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii). This is a big win for our coffee farmers and was made possible thanks to members of the Hawai'i agriculture community, who have been working with me on this issue for years, and our ongoing collaboration with the USDA." Background: The plan calls for Hawai'i coffee to be valued under a non-citrus fruits and nuts model from its current field crop model. This shift … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/gabbard-schatz-hirono-announce-new-valuation-method-for-locally-grown-coffee | Hirono, Gabbard, Schatz Announce New Valuation Method for Locally Grown Coffee | 2015-10-29 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono, Gabbard, Schatz Announce New Valuation Method for Locally Grown Coffee Thursday, October 29, 2015 Today, the Hawai?i Congressional Delegation praised the announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will provide a green bean pricing valuation for Hawaii-grown coffee starting in January 2016. Currently, Hawaii coffee farm gate value is based on parchment rather than green bean. Green bean coffee valuation will more accurately reflect market values and make reporting easier for growers. "This change will increase the reported value of Hawaii-grown coffee to more accurately reflect its critical role in Hawaii agriculture as well as its position in the global coffee market,said Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii).This is a big win for our coffee farmers and was made possible thanks to members of the Hawai?i agriculture community and our ongoing collaboration with the USDA." Despite achieving global recognition, Hawaii-grown coffee has long been valued differently than most of the global coffee market, said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02). This announcement by the USDA to value Hawai?i coffee in the same way as the global coffee marketplace will better align with global valuation standards, increase the value of Hawai?i-grown coffee, and help attract additional research and development funds to support our local coffee farmers and industry. Hawai?i is our nation's only domestic coffee producer, and this change will help strengthen our coffee industry and increase its potential for growth. The USDA currently understates the value of Hawaiis coffee crops, which impacts the availability of financing, and the importance of coffee to the U.S. economy, said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).This action by the USDA will make it easier for Hawaii farmers to get loans, and to secure federal funding for research and pest control. Background: The plan calls for Hawaii coffee to be valued under a non-citrus frui… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-supports-landmark-cybersecurity-legislation | Hirono Supports Landmark Cybersecurity Legislation | 2015-10-27 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Supports Landmark Cybersecurity Legislation Tuesday, October 27, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, voted to support the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. The legislation overwhelmingly passed the Senate 74-21. After the vote, Senator Hirono released the following statement: Embracing the promise and vulnerabilities of the Internet age requires a delicate balance between promoting security online and protecting users privacy and Constitutional rights. The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act strikes that balance in a number of important ways. This legislation will help prevent cyber attacks by facilitating a common awareness in the cyber realm. When the private sector has a common view of cyber threats and shares cybersecurity information, companies can more effectively defend their networks. And although the privacy provisions should be strengthened further, the voluntary nature of the bill and the cyber threat awareness it would promote are worthy of support. Consumers deserve to know how their information is used, and maintaining Americans privacy remains a key priority as we finalize this legislation. The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act includes Senator Hironos amendment to protect consumer privacy by requiring the federal government to fully implement privacy protections before companies can be shielded from liability for sharing cyber threat information. As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Hirono successfully fought to cut a provision that would have reduced transparency under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and established a whole new category of exclusions under FOIA. The legislation also will require a provision that Senator Hirono supports requiring the Department of Homeland Security to report on cyber threats to industries that are critical to Americas infrastructure. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/kaua-i-county-awarded-13-million-plus-grant-us-dot | Kauai County awarded $13 million plus grant by U.S. DOT | 2015-10-26 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | LHUE County officials received exciting news this morning all the way from Washington, D.C. Kauai County was successful in its bid for more than $13 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Known as the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant program, the county will use the funding for the revitalization of the Lhue Town Core. This is a historic day for Kauai. It all started with a community vision and everyone working together, said Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. I would like to thank the many private and public partners who supported us with our grant application, from Kauai to Washington, D.C. Now the entire island will benefit from this collaboration. Among the projects that will be covered by the TIGER grant are the following: safety improvements and the addition of pedestrian and bike lanes on Rice Street; a shared-use path from the Lhue Civic Center to the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall; and bicycle and pedestrian improvements on Hoolako Street. In addition, the conversion of Eiwa Street to a transit hub will be completed, sidewalks will be installed on Hoala and Kalna streets, a bicycle boulevard will be added to Pualole and Malae streets, and transit services for the Lhue Civic Center will be expanded. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz sent a congratulatory message to the Garden Isle.Securing this competitive grant was not easy. This is the first time our state has received a TIGER grant in four years, and we could not have done it without the support of Mayor Carvalho. The Mayor and all those who contributed to this project have done a great job evaluating the needs of the community and putting together a proposal that will improve pedestrian safety, increase access to employment and education through transit, and contribute to a redesign of the neighborhood that all residents can enjoy, said Schatz. As a member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations subcommittee as well as the Commerce Committee, I have worked with Transportation Secretary Foxx to u… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/future-caucus-co-chairs-reps-tulsi-gabbard-will-hurd-introduce-bipartisan | Future Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Tulsi Gabbard, Will Hurd Introduce Bipartisan Resolution on #GivingTuesday | 2015-10-21 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Call for National Day of Giving and Volunteerism Washington, DCToday, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-02) and Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX-23), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Future Caucus, announced the introduction of a bipartisan resolution to recognize #GivingTuesday, a global day of charitable giving and volunteerism. #GivingTuesday, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, begins the holiday season in the spirit of service, following widely-recognized shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.Every single day, each of us has the opportunity to find a way to give back to our communities, to help those in need, and to have a positive impact on those around us. #GivingTuesday highlights this opportunity and the special importance of service and giving back," said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. "Too often, national politics and media focus on the issues that divide us, rather than those that unite us. Service, volunteerism, and giving back are principles that unite us, and allow us to transcend the many labels that can often divide us." "We live in the most generous nation in the world, ready to give a helping hand to our next-door neighbors or people we have never met on the other side of the world, said Congressman Will Hurd. While global poverty continues to decline, there is always more that Americans can do to help those in need in our communities, both local and international. Giving Tuesday reminds those with much to remember those with little."Giving Tuesday was launched by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation in 2012, and has since become a worldwide movement, harnessing the power of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change. In it's first year, Giving Tuesday brought together more than 2,500 organizations in all 50 States, and it has continued to gain momentum every year since, with more than 35,000 partners in the United States and around the world. Full text of the resolution can be found HERE. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/national-native-tourism-organization-honors-senator-schatz-with-special-award-for-championing-economic-development-and-empowerment | National Native Tourism Organization Honors Senator Schatz with Special Award for Championing Economic Development and Empowerment | 2015-10-21 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | National Native Tourism Organization Honors Senator Schatz with Special Award for Championing Economic Development and Empowerment Senator Schatz is the First Member of Congress to Receive AIANTA Award Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA), a national organization representing the native hospitality and tourism industry, presented U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) with a special Enough Good People Award for his efforts to champion economic development and cultural strength for Native Hawaiians, American Indians, and Alaska Natives. Tourism is not only good for our economy, but it is one of the best ways for Native communities to tell their own stories and share their history and culture. No organization knows that better than AIANTA, said Senator Schatz. This award is a real honor. I want to thank AIANTA for this award and for the work they do every day to advocate for Native communities and support tribes and Native-owned businesses in Hawaii and across the country. Earlier this year, Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and the Senate Tourism Caucus, introduced S.1579, the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act or the NATIVE Act, to enhance and integrate Native American tourism, empower Native American communities, and expand heritage and cultural tourism opportunities in the United States. The bill has garnered broad bipartisan and bicameral support. The legislation was recently voted to be favorably reported by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Tourism is an essential part of Hawaiis economy, and it is so important that Native Hawaiians are included and supported in this arena, said Pohai Ryan, Executive Director of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association and former Hawaii State Senator. Thanks to Senator Schatz leadership in writing and introducing the NATIVE Act, this bill will help to advance tourisms potential to imp… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-legislation-to-combat-pirate-fishing | Senate Passes Legislation to Combat Pirate Fishing | 2015-10-21 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senate Passes Legislation to Combat Pirate Fishing Bill Will Give NOAA, Coast Guard More Enforcement Tools Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Washington, DC Today, the Senate unanimously passed the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015. In May, Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced legislation to combat the multi-billion dollar threat posed by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. The legislation passed today is the House companion to the Senate bill, which passed the House of Representatives in July. The bill now heads to the Presidents desk to be signed into law. The bill increases enforcement capabilities for a number of international fishery agreements that combat IUU fishing, to protect fisheries in both Alaska and Hawaii, and across the entire United States. Currently, the world looks to the United States for leadership on how to manage fisheries, said Senator Schatz. With this bill, we can assume a similar leadership role on the international problem of pirate fishing by taking strong action to prosecute wrongdoers. Hopefully other nations will follow our example to put an end to illegal fishing practices once and for all. By cracking down on the illegal harvesting of fish, we are leveling the playing field and protecting the livelihoods of the 80,000 Alaskans who are directly or indirectly impacted by our seafood industry, said Senator Murkowski, Co-chair of the Senate Oceans Caucus. I thank my colleagues for recognizing the serious economic threat posed by pirate fishing and taking this critical step to ensure our fisheries remain healthy and thriving. After years of effort dating back multiple Congresses I am proud to have gotten this bill moving early in my tenure on the Commerce Committee, and I am pleased to have had the cooperation of my friends and colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-schatz-and-testers-legislation-to-support-native-american-languages-passes-key-senate-committee | Senators Schatz and Tester's Legislation to Support Native American Languages Passes Key Senate Committee | 2015-10-21 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senators Schatz and Tester's Legislation to Support Native American Languages Passes Key Senate Committee Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee advanced the Native Language Immersion Student Achievement Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), and Tom Udall (D-N.M.). The Native Language Immersion Student Achievement Act creates a new grant initiative to establish or expand Native language immersion programs. The grants will support the revitalization and maintenance of indigenous languages while increasing educational opportunities for Native Hawaiian, American Indian, and Alaska Native students. Language is vital to every culture, and schools like Nawahiokalaniopuu on Hawaii Island have shown us how Native language education can revive a once near-extinct language and help preserve the traditions and customs of Native communities, said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. With todays key vote, we are one step closer to strengthening Native language schools and programs in Hawaii and across the country and ensuring the Hawaiian language and many others continue to thrive. Preserving Native languages will keep students connected with their culture and heritage, said Senator Tester, Vice-Chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. This bill will limit overhead costs that often keep tribes and schools from establishing Native language immersion classes and will ensure the survival of these historic languages. The Native Language Immersion Student Achievement Act establishes a grant program under the Department of Education. The bill seeks to limit overhead costs and reduce the resource demands on tribal and school administrators seeking language immersion funding. The grant program totals $5 million per year for five years. The grants can be awarded to tribes, tribal organizations, Tribal Colleges a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-denounces-republican-attempt-to-criminalize-immigrant-communities | Hirono Denounces Republican Attempt To Criminalize Immigrant Communities | 2015-10-20 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Denounces Republican Attempt To Criminalize Immigrant Communities Tuesday, October 20, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono took to the Senate floor to oppose a Republican attempt to unfairly penalize hundreds of cities and local jurisdictions across the country by stripping them of key federal funding and preventing local law enforcement officials from using commonsense approaches to protect their communities. The measure failed 54-45. From Senator Hironos remarks: Instead of turning hardworking immigrants into bogeymen, we should be focusing on real solutions for violence in our communities. If my colleagues who support this bill are serious about addressing violence in America, then they should come to the table to talk about how we can strengthen our laws to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. And I have been saying this for over a year now: if my Republican colleagues want to discuss immigration reform, I welcome that debate. Read Senator Hironos full remarks below, as prepared for delivery: M. President, I rise today to urge my colleagues to oppose S. 2146, the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act. Hundreds of cities and local jurisdictions across our country have financial, constitutional, and public safety concerns with using scarce local tax dollars to hold immigrants in jail when they otherwise would be entitled to release under the law. These cities and towns are being called sanctuary cities because they have made a local and fact-based choice to keep their community safe rather than serve as an arm of immigration enforcement. This bill would create new criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants, and make life even harder for them most of whom are honest, hardworking people not criminals. And the bill also takes severe steps to penalize these sanctuary cities, by stripping them of critical community block grants, and federal homeland security and law enforcement funding. While this bill purports to protect our… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-schatz-introduces-legislation-to-help-establish-national-museum-of-the-american-people | Senator Schatz Introduces Legislation to Help Establish National Museum of the American People | 2015-10-19 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Schatz Introduces Legislation to Help Establish National Museum of the American People The National Museum of the American People Would Tell the Diverse Stories of Every Ethnic Group in America Monday, October 19, 2015 Honolulu, HI U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced legislation to explore the viability of creating a National Museum of the American People (NMAP) in Washington, D.C. The proposed museum would be the first of its kind to tell the immigration stories of every American and celebrate the contributions of every ethnic and cultural group in the country. It would provide a venue to unite the diverse stories that connect us as Americans. The museum will offer a unique narrative regarding the people and communities that have helped forge who we are today; and, highlight the links that bind together past, present, and future generations. The story of America is a story about immigration. For generations, people from around the world and from all walks of life have come to the United States to build better lives for themselves and for their families, said Senator Schatz. From the sugar cane plantations on Maui to the shipping ports in Maine, immigrants throughout our history have made tremendous contributions to America. But many of their stories are left untold. Building the National Museum of the American People would help tell the story of every immigrant of every ethnic group and would be a great way to celebrate the patriotism, contributions, and achievements of all Americans. The National Museum of the American People is destined to become one of the greatest history museums anywhere telling the central story of our nation about the making of the American People, said Sam Eskenazi, director of the coalition backing this effort. We are very grateful for Sen. Schatz taking the lead so that people from every ethnic, nationality and minority group in the country will be able to come and see their own stories and learn about all of the ot… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-schatz-selects-15-students-from-across-hawaii-for-schatz-seniors-high-school-internship-program | Senator Schatz Selects 15 Students From Across Hawai'i For Schatz Seniors High School Internship Program | 2015-10-16 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Schatz Selects 15 Students From Across Hawai'i For Schatz Seniors High School Internship Program Friday, October 16, 2015 Honolulu, HI U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) announced today the selection of fifteen outstanding Hawaii high school students to participate in this years Schatz Seniors High School Internship program. Every one of our Schatz Seniors is a stand-out, said Senator Schatz.They all share an interest in civic leadership and are highly engaged in their schools and communities. My staff and I look forward to working with them. Now in its third year, the Schatz Seniors High School Internship program provides a hands-on learning opportunity about the U.S. Senate, creates a forum for students to share issues and information with the Senator and his staff, and encourages students to be leaders and advocates in their schools and communities. As part of the program, all students must maintain a 2.5 GPA. Interns were selected based on their community involvement, diversity of interests, and demonstrated leadership qualities. Selected students participating in this years Schatz Seniors High School Internship program: Hawaii IslandBrianne Schlegelmilch, St. Joseph School Kauai Athena Abadilla, Waimea High School MauiThomas Hayashi, Seabury Hall Micah Leval, St. Anthony Junior-Senior High School OahuPerry Arrasmith, Aiea High School Starshine Chun, Kaimuki High School Samantha Churchill, Kalani High School Tarah Driver, Iolani School Yiju Huang, Kalani High School Kelia Kameenui-Becker, Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama Ariana Kim, St. Andrews Priory School for Girls Dylan Kishida, Saint Louis School Dillon Korman, Lutheran High School of Hawaii Ren Roth, Kailua High School Toshiro Yanai, Iolani School Applications for next years Schatz Seniors High School Internship program will be available in the fall at www.schatz.senate.gov. For more information, please contact Senator Schatzs Honolulu office at (808) 523-2061. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-schatz-and-air-force-secretary-deborah-lee-james-highlight-the-militarys-efforts-to-move-toward-clean-energy-in-hawaii | Senator Schatz and Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James Highlight the Militarys Efforts to Move Toward Clean Energy in Hawaii | 2015-10-13 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Schatz and Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James Highlight the Militarys Efforts to Move Toward Clean Energy in Hawaii Tuesday, October 13, 2015 Honolulu, HI - U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James spoke today before members of Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE). WiRE is a non-profit organization for women working in the fields of energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency and transportation. In his opening remarks, Senator Schatz highlighted the partnership between Hawai'i and the Air Force to research, develop, and implement clean energy solutions. The Air Force and other military services are not moving toward clean energy simply because they view it as their responsibility to be good stewards of the environment," said Senator Schatz. It is because leaders like Secretary James understand that their efforts to transition to clean energy are good for the environment and for their warfighting mission. Secretary Deborah Lee James delivered the keynote address and offered remarks on the role of the Air Force in leading change in the energy sector with the help of many partners. As the U.S. Federal Government's largest consumer of energy we think about energy a lot, said Secretary James. Transforming the way we use energy, including investing in innovation and building an energy secure force, is critical to ensuring we are able to execute our mission in the future. But we can't do it alone, and we are thankful for the great public/private partnerships with state and local government, federal agencies, private industry, academia, and energy providers and regulators. Partnerships between Hawai'i and the Air Force have already produced cost-saving and energy-saving solutions such as a hydrogen-fueled weapons loader. This small vehicle that loads ordnance onto aircraft without the need for jet fuel is the result of a partnership between the Air Force Research Lab and the Hawai'i Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies. T… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/photos-rep-tulsi-gabbard-promoted-captain-major-hawaii-army-national-guard | PHOTOS: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Promoted from Captain to Major by Hawai'i Army National Guard | 2015-10-12 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Honolulu, HI This morning in Honolulu, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) was promoted in rank by the Hawai'i Army National Guard from Captain to Major in a ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). She was joined by her family, friends, and fellow service members and veterans. Former U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka led Tulsi in reciting her Oath of Office. Here is an excerpt from her remarks: Standing here today amongst veterans at the Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery, I'm again reminded of what aloha truly means. Ultimately, aloha means respect, love, and caring, said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. Some people think love and caring means weakness, but I assure you that the exact opposite is true. The truth is, nothing is as strong as love. It was their love for liberty and freedom that gave our country's founders the courage and strength to fight for independence. It is that love for country that motivates our men and women in uniform to be ready and willing to put their lives on the line for the freedom and liberty that is the foundation upon which America stands. Punchbowl Cemetery is sacred. It exudes the aloha of those who have given their lives for America. I am humbled, honored, and inspired to be here with themand with all of you. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-administration-continues-failed-syrian-equip-program | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Administration Continues Failed Syrian Equip Program | 2015-10-09 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DCFollowing the Administration's announcement regarding changes to the Syria train and equip program, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and twice-deployed combat veteran, released the following statement: The complete and utter failure of this poorly conceived program was predictable from the start, which is why I spoke out strongly against it, and opposed it when it came before Congress last year. The Administration had no defined objectives, no effective strategy, and no way to ensure that these fighters and the weapons, ammunition, and equipment we provided them would not end up in the hands of ISIS, al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, and other Islamic extremist groups who are our enemy. Now, rather than end this failed program, the Administration has decided to continue providing equipment to so-called moderate Syrian leaders' who will give these weapons to whomever they like, increasing the likelihood that American taxpayer-funded weapons and equipment will end up in the hands of our enemy: al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, and ISIS, whose goal is to overthrow Assad and establish an Islamic state. Citing her repeated efforts to arm Kurdish Forces, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, The Administration continues to put our resources toward failed missions and strengthening our enemy, rather than focusing on defeating our enemy anddirectly arming and equipping the Kurds in both Iraq and Syria who have consistently been our trusted, effective, fighting force on the ground against Islamic extremists. Moreover, until the White House comes to Congress for authorization to go to war against the sovereign nation of Syria, their actions to use taxpayer dollars to support anti-Assad fighters constitutes an illegal war that the American people have not debated or approved. We need to remember who the enemy isal-Qaeda, al-Nusra, ISIS, and other Islamic extremistsall of whom are presently trying to overthrow the government of Assad, take over all of Syria, and establish an Islamic State. Backgr… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-honda-lead-bipartisan-resolution-to-recognize-filipino-american-history-month | Hirono, Honda Lead Bipartisan Resolution To Recognize Filipino American History Month | 2015-10-08 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono, Honda Lead Bipartisan Resolution To Recognize Filipino American History Month Thursday, October 8, 2015 Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono and Congressman Mike Honda (D-Silicon Valley) introduced a bicameral and bipartisan resolution to recognize October 2015 as Filipino American History Month. Senator Hirono represents the only Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) majority state in the country, and Congressman Honda represents the only AAPI-majority district in the continental United States. Recognizing Filipino American History Month in Congress is a testament to the countless contributions that Filipino Americans have made to our country, said Senator Hirono. As we celebrate Filipino American heritage, we must also renew our commitment to recognizing Filipino World War II veterans for their service to our country, and continue to work toward comprehensive immigration reform that would reunite many Filipino American families. When we talk about diversity strengthening the fabric of our nation, the contributions of Filipino Americans come to mind. Every day in Silicon Valley, I see evidence of the continued courage, innovation, and hard work that Filipino Americans have displayed throughout American history as labor leaders, service members, artists, and business owners, said Representative Honda. As we celebrate and honor this culture, we also must take pause to recommit ourselves to reuniting Filipino veterans with their children and honoring the promises made to the WWII veterans who served side-by-side with American troops. Nevada would not be the state that it is today without the contributions made by thousands of Filipino-Americans. The cultural identity that they have shared with us is will forever be a part of Nevadas own rich heritage, and so I am proud to support Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Mike Hondas resolution to recognize October as Filipino American History Month, said Senator Harry Reid. I know how much the Filipino-American community ha… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/hirono-calls-for-responsible-solutions-to-federal-budget | Hirono Calls For Responsible Solutions To Federal Budget | 2015-10-07 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Mazie Hirono | H001042 | www.hirono.senate.gov | legacy | Hirono Calls For Responsible Solutions To Federal Budget Continues Opposition To Flawed NDAA Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a Senate conferee to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), voted against the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report today. While it passed the Senate 70-22, President Obama has vowed to veto the bill because of its use of the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) fund as a budget gimmick to fund the Department of Defense without addressing sequestration. While the NDAA includes many provisions that I support, I join President Obama and Ranking Member Jack Reed in opposing the Conference Report, said Senator Hirono. Military leaders have testified on how the sequester will cripple readiness and service member morale. This Conference Report does not responsibly address these concerns, instead using OCO to bypass the sequester, leaving domestic programs, including funding for civilian agencies that are critical to national security, to bear the full brunt. Were one country, and our budget should reflect that value. In addition to opposing the NDAA on the Senate floor, Senator Hirono, Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed, and the majority of the Senates Democratic conferees declined to sign the Conference Report because it failed to solve the sequester. Under the Conference Report, the Department of Defense would receive nearly $90 billion in funding through OCO, which is exempted from sequestration because the fund is used to pay for ongoing overseas military operations, such as our current troop presence and operations in Afghanistan. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/bipartisan-tsunami-bill-unanimously-passes-senate-strengthens-coastal-disaster-preparedness-in-hawaii | Bipartisan Tsunami Bill Unanimously Passes Senate, Strengthens Coastal Disaster Preparedness In Hawai'i | 2015-10-07 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Bipartisan Tsunami Bill Unanimously Passes Senate, Strengthens Coastal Disaster Preparedness In Hawai'i Bill Provides Improvements to Tsunami Detection and Warning Systems, Funding for Research Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) announced their tsunami detection and warning systems legislation unanimously passed the Senate. The bill reauthorizes and enhances tsunami preparedness and increases investment in research to protect coastal communities. The Tsunami Warning, Education and Research Act of 2015 would strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) tsunami warning system and advance new research related to improving tsunami detection, forecasting, notification and response. Our bill strengthens the national tsunami forecasting program and stabilizes funding available for tsunami warnings and preparedness. It also gives communities the ability to focus on the particular risks they face. In Hawaii, that means securing our ports, preparing for the specific impacts to areas with a concentration of high rise buildings, like Waikiki, and looking to Hawaiis geological past to identify possible tsunami threats in the future, said Senator Schatz. The earthquake in Chile last month underlines the importance of strengthening tsunami forecasting and preparedness for Hawaii. With more than 300,000 Washingtonians living along the Cascadia fault in a tsunami danger zone, we must prepare our coastal communities for future tsunamis, said Senator Cantwell. The legislation improves our emergency warning infrastructure, provides funding to our state-based emergency management programs, and bolsters readiness assessments for coastal areas at-risk. In the tradition of Senators Ted Stevens and Dan Inouye, I am pleased to see this bill unanimously pass the Senate, said Senator Sullivan. In the event of the next tsunami, adequate warning for Ala… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-schatz-and-thunes-bipartisan-native-american-tourism-legislation-passes-indian-affairs-committee | Senators Schatz and Thune's Bipartisan Native American Tourism Legislation Passes Indian Affairs Committee | 2015-10-07 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senators Schatz and Thune's Bipartisan Native American Tourism Legislation Passes Indian Affairs Committee Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Washington, D.C. Today, in a bipartisan vote, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee advanced the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NATIVE) Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and John Thune (R-S.D.). The bipartisan NATIVE Act would enhance and integrate native tourism, empower native communities, and expand unique cultural tourism opportunities in the United States. Whether youre from Hawaii or South Dakota, we can all agree that tourism is one of the best ways to share local traditions and culture while creating new jobs and supporting small businesses, said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. Our bipartisan legislation would empower native communities in Hawaii and across the country and give them the tools needed to tell their own stories, and promote their vibrant heritage. The stories and traditions of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people are the foundation of my home state of South Dakotas rich culture and heritage, said Senator Thune. This bipartisan legislation will better integrate Native American tourism into federal tourism efforts to expand tourism opportunities for tribal communities to share this important culture with travelers from all over the United States. The NATIVE Act is also cosponsored by Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.). Last month, U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. The NATIVE Act is supported by a broad coalition of stakeholders including the U.S. Travel Association, American Indian and Alaska Native Tourism Association, Southeast Tourism Society, Western States Tourism Policy … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-schatz-statement-on-us-eu-safe-harbor-agreement-ruling | Senator Schatz Statement on U.S.-E.U. Safe Harbor Agreement Ruling | 2015-10-06 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Brian Schatz | S001194 | www.schatz.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Schatz Statement on U.S.-E.U. Safe Harbor Agreement Ruling Tuesday, October 6, 2015 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, released the following statement in response to the European Court of Justices ruling on the Safe Harbor agreement: The U.S.-E.U. Safe Harbor framework is an important model for transatlantic data transfers and has been critical in protecting both individual privacy and commerce between the European Union and the United States for the past 15 years. Over 4,000 U.S. companies rely on Safe Harbor to validate the transfer of data from the E.U. to the U.S., including both U.S. headquartered companies and U.S.-based subsidiaries of E.U.-headquartered companies. The European Court of Justices decision announced this morning invalidates the current Safe Harbor framework; a decision which could be the digital equivalent of grounding all planes and stopping all shipping from Europe to the U.S. overnight. It is urgent for Secretary Pritzker and Chairwoman Ramirez to work with their European counterparts in the European Commission and the Member States to rapidly issue clear guidance on data transfers in light of the courts decision. Guidance is needed to ensure continuity for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic until a new agreement is in effect. Cross-border data flows between the U.S. and Europe are the highest in the world. This movement of data is critical to students, families, businesses and promotes employment, free speech, innovation, and cultural expression. While we respect each others different legal approaches, we must also work together quickly and effectively to address this impasse in order to reassure European citizens that their personal data will continue to be afforded the highest level of protection when it is transferred to the United States. Finally, Congress must do its part to pass bipartisan legis… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-reaffirms-opposition-harmful-trans-pacific-trade-deal | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Reaffirms Opposition to Harmful Trans-Pacific Trade Deal | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Honolulu, HIToday, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, issued a statement following the announcement of a finalized agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Until now, the American people have been shut out from the details of this trade agreement that looks to be like NAFTA on steroids. This deal, which will affect 40 percent of our global economy, will be even more unenforceable and more disastrous for American jobs and our economy than NAFTA has already proven to be, said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. I will examine the details of this deal carefully once it's delivered to Congress, but from what I have seen so far, the TPP agreement will benefit Wall Street banks and multinational corporations on the backs of hard-working Americans, and it will increase existing threats to our environment. As Congress goes through its 90-day review period, my top priority will be to bring voice to the working men and women who are deeply worried about how this will affect their jobs, and the small business owners and local manufacturers in Hawaii and across the country who fear being forced out of business. These are the people who are the backbone of our economy, and their voices must be heard over the din of rhetoric coming from multinational corporations and special interests who will benefit most from this. If it contains the same noxious provisions we suspected it would, I will do all I can to defeat the TPP when it comes before Congress for a final up-or-down vote. Background: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has repeatedly called for increased transparency in TPP negotiations, and voted against granting the Administration fast-track Trade Promotion Authority earlier this year. While Congress passed TPA, she has continued to call for increased protections for domestic workers displaced by trade, including Trade Adjustment Assistance. The full text of the TPP deal will be available to the American people for the first time following the pr… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/photos-video-rep-tulsi-gabbard-honors-kailua-blue-ribbon-school | PHOTOS & VIDEO: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Honors Kailua Blue Ribbon School | 2015-10-02 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Democrat | House | HI | Tulsi Gabbard | G000571 | gabbard.house.gov | legacy | Honolulu, HIThis morning in Kailua, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) presented an Honorary Certificate on behalf of Congress to Ka'elepulu Elementary at a schoolwide assembly for being the only school in Congressional District 2 to earn the distinguished title of 2015 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education for their overall academic excellence. Congratulations to Principal Jamie Dela Cruz and the educators, faculty, students, and parents of Kaelepulu Elementary upon being named a 2015 Blue Ribbon School, said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. Your excellence in education has been known throughout the community, but today, your accomplishments are being affirmed by recognition on the national stage. Mahalo to everyone at Ka'elepulu Elementary for your work to educate the future leaders of Hawai'i. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap. At the invitation of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, representatives from each of the 335 schools awarded this year will be formally recognized on November 9 and 10 in Washington, DC. At the ceremony, each school will be presented with an award plaque and a flag as symbols of their accomplishments. The photos below and b-roll footage from the school assembly are available here for download. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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