Our veterans and their families have made tremendous sacrifices in service to our great nation, and we owe them nothing less than the same commitment that they have showed us.
With more than 100,000 veterans in Hawai‘i, Senator Schatz is not only honoring these heroes, but empowering them to seize new opportunities as they transition back to civilian life.
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he has secured federal funding for transition assistance programs, career training services, and higher education. He has consistently delivered federal grants for homeless veterans programs, and he has worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs to protect the availability of critical medical care, expand access to telemedicine, and increase the number of VA outpatient clinics across the state. Schatz is also leading efforts to restore benefits to Filipino World War II veterans and those who have been wrongly discharged because of their sexual orientation.
Recent News
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01.06.2014
Schatz Asks VA, FHA to Consider O’ahu's High Cost of Living to Help Hawai’i Veterans Afford Housing
After the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) made changes to its loan guarantee program resulting in a $125,000 drop in the maximum loan guarantee for Honolulu, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai`i) is requesting that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the VA take O‘ahu’s high cost of living into consideration and increase the loan guarantee limit for the City and County of Honolulu. -
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) is helping introduce legislation today to safeguard military retirees from changes in cost of living adjustments (COLA) in the bipartisan budget agreement. The proposal would be fully-paid for by eliminating a corporate tax loophole for companies that use offshore tax havens to avoid paying U.S. taxes.
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11.11.2013
Schatz Statement on Veterans Day
Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz released the following statement: -
Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it will award a grant in the amount of $1,092,739 to improve the Maui Veterans Cemetery in Makawao.
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Today, Senator Brian Schatz joined Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on a visit with service members at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
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Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz announced the Department of Labor’s Homeless Female Veterans and Veterans with Families Program will award the United States Veterans Initiative in Kapolei a grant for $300,000 to provide homeless female veterans and veterans with families with job training to help them succeed in civilian careers.
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Today, Senator Brian Schatz joined Senators Boxer, Harkin, Franken and Mikulski in sponsoring the GI Bill Protection Act.
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The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a hearing today to consider the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2013 – only a few months after it was introduced by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI).
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Today, Senator Brian Schatz introduced a bill that would facilitate the construction of a Native American Veterans’ Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
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04.29.2013
Schatz Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators Urging President to Take Steps to Reduce VA Backlog
Senator Brian Schatz joined Senators Robert Casey (PA), Dean Heller (NV) and a group of bipartisan Senators in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to take direct action in ending the current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims backlog. -
Senator Brian Schatz joined Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and a number of other Senate Democrats in opposing the use of Chained Consumer Price Index to calculate cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security or benefits to disabled veterans or their families.
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Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) today introduced legislation to right an unjust wrong in our nation’s past.
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Senators Harry Reid (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Mark Begich (D-AK), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) are supporting legislation that would reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their families.
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Senator Mazie K. Hirono, Senator Brian Schatz, and Representative Tulsi Gabbard announced today that Hawaii will receive more than $1 million to expand and improve the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe.
