Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to limit the transfer of certain surplus military-grade equipment to local law enforcement agencies across the country. The Schatz-Murkowski-Harris-Paul amendment places limitations on the Department of Defense’s 1033 program which authorizes the federal transfer of military...

WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that Hawai‘i K-12 schools will receive $54,188,328 in new federal funding for the 2020-2021 school year to support initiatives aimed at helping educate low income students. Authorized under Title I Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the funds will be given directly to local education agencies to provide extra academic support at schools where a...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a group of senators in calling on the Federal Reserve (“the Fed”) to require banks to suspend dividend payments to shareholders as the economy struggles to recover from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The senators urged Fed Chair Jerome Powell and Vice Chair Randal Quarles to ensure banks conserve capital now so that they can continue lending if the economic fallout from the pandemic turns more...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and John Thune (R-S.D.), the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet, introduced the Platform Accountability and Consumer Transparency (PACT) Act, new bipartisan legislation to update Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The PACT Act will strengthen transparency in the process online platforms use to moderate content and hold those companies accountable for...

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that Hawai‘i is set to receive $537,823 to support four Native Hawaiian and educational institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. These federal funds will go towards operating expenses, including wages for instructors, and transitioning to virtual learning programs. “This new federal funding will help make sure that the important programs that preserve and share Native Hawaiian language, culture, and...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) today introduced new legislation that will help protect passengers on air tours and improve the safety of skydiving flights in Hawai‘i and across the country. “The tragic number of air tour accidents we’ve seen in Hawai‘i have made it clear that we need to do more to protect passengers and pilots,” Senator Schatz said. “Our new bill will apply essential safety...

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that Kona Community Hospital on Hawai‘i Island and Straub Medical Center on Oahu received a combined $11,927,758 in new federal funding to support health care services for vulnerable and low-income individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two medical centers serve as safety net hospitals, providing care to individuals regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay for health care...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) led a bipartisan group of 30 senators in calling for the expansion of access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic to be made permanent. Provisions from the Schatz-authored CONNECT for Health Act that have allowed Medicare beneficiaries in all areas of the country, and in their homes, to utilize telehealth services, as well as more types of health care providers to provide telehealth, were...

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, joined his Democratic Senate colleagues today to urge Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Jovita Carranza to streamline and simplify the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application process and ensure the smallest and most underserved businesses are able to fully take advantage of the program. “Small businesses...

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that Hawai‘i County will receive $1,195,089.75 in new federal funding to repair the Laupahoehoe Gulch Bridge along the Mamalahoa Highway after damage from Hurricane Lane in 2018. “We haven’t fully recovered from the natural disasters in 2018 yet, but this federal grant will help repair the Laupahoehoe Bridge,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “As we...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today reintroduced the bipartisan Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act to establish limitations and create greater transparency on the federal transfer of surplus military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies. This prohibition only applies to offensive equipment and does not prohibit the transfer of defensive equipment, such as body armor. “Weapons of war don’t belong in our local police...

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that Hawai‘i is set to receive $30,837,789 in new federal funding to prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic among homeless families and individuals. County governments will be able to use these funds to improve and operate emergency shelters, rehouse homeless families, and provide mental health support, job assistance, and other essential services. “Our homeless population is among the most...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) received $3,704,731.64 in new federal funding to cover the costs of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers and first responders throughout the state. The funding, awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), comes after Hawai‘i was granted a Presidential Disaster Declaration to help the state respond to the...

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that Hawai‘i will receive $1,500,000 to support the preparedness and response needs of hospitals, health systems, and health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds can be used to train health care workers, expand the use of telehealth services, replenish stockpiles of supplies such as personal protective equipment, and coordinate efforts across health care facilities. “Hospitals and health...

Washington, D.C. - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) today released the results of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation revealing the undue influence of unqualified, unaccountable private citizens-with no official government role or responsibilities-over Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) decisions. The investigation was initially requested by the senators in August 2018 followingreports that a trio of President...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today passed legislation to honor the more than 100,000 lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bipartisan legislation, authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), called for a moment of silence to pay tribute to those who have tragically passed. “The nation must mark this dark moment with unity and clarity,” said Senator Schatz. “At this time of...

HONOLULU — Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D- Hawai‘i) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved Hawai‘i's request to operate the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program, ensuring that children in the state can continue to have access to nutritious food during the COVID-19 crisis. Authorized under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the P-EBT program will provide approximately $16.8 million to 24,025 Supplemental Nutrition...

HONOLULU — Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D- Hawai‘i) announced that the City and County of Honolulu is set to receive $5,940,005 in new federal funding to acquire six zero-emission buses and necessary on-road charging facilities. These new buses will run 24 hours daily on Route 40 between Makaha and Downtown Honolulu, helping people get to work and visit local businesses. “Improving our public transit system with electric buses means that we can provide affordable...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a group of senators in calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate misleading and unfair tipping practices, known as “tip baiting,” on Instacart and other online delivery services. According to recent reports, delivery workers – who are putting themselves at risk to deliver groceries during this crisis – are being baited with high tips by customers who want their order picked up, only to...

HONOLULU – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that the total coronavirus federal relief funding for Hawai‘i is expected to top more than $7 billion. The new total includes federal funding already received and expected to be received by Hawai‘i small businesses, families, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, state and county governments, and other organizations. “While we continue working to secure more federal funding that will help Hawai‘i...