Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Last night, congressional appropriators released a bipartisan spending deal that will increase federal funding for critical programs that benefit Hawai‘i for fiscal year 2020. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, successfully advanced state priorities which are now included in the final deal. “Hawai‘i’s share of federal dollars continues to grow every year,” said Senator Schatz. “This...

  WASHINGTON – A provision authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that secures paid parental leave for all federal employees passed the Senate today and is expected to be signed into law. The new law, included in the annual defense authorization bill, will provide 2 million federal workers with 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child after birth, adoption, or the initiation of foster care. “This new law means that the federal government’s 2 million...

WASHINGTON – Legislation first authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that will prohibit the sale of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to anyone under the age of 21 has been included in a bipartisan spending deal announced by congressional leaders today. “This is a big win for public health. Raising the minimum smoking and vaping age to 21 will protect our kids and save lives,” said Senator Schatz. Every day, approximately 1,300 people die from...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to treat methamphetamine misuse as a priority and devote more federal resources to addressing the growing epidemic in Hawai‘i and across the country.  “By specifically targeting the growing problems of meth misuse and addiction, we can effectively prevent them from becoming a more serious...

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced a bipartisan resolution to ensure the 2020 Census is fair and accurate. The resolution encourages individuals, families, and households across the United States to take part in the Census so that all communities can be counted. “The Census is mandated by the Constitution and plays a vital role in our democracy, ensuring that every person is counted and receives the...

WASHINGTON – The Requiring Every American Defense Installation to Nullify Environmental Stresses for Security (READINESS) Act, legislation authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) is set to become law. The Schatz provision, which was included in the must-pass annual defense authorization bill, will protect military bases from extreme weather events by requiring them to prepare for potential disasters and other risks posed by severe changes in environmental...

WASHINGTON – The End National Defense (END) Network Abuse Act, authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), was included in the annual must-pass National Defense Authorization Act and is expected to be signed into law. The END Network Abuse Act will help the Pentagon stop the unacceptable use of the Defense Department’s (DoD) network to view, possess, trade, procure, and even produce child pornography. “This law will give our military leaders the tools they need to...

WASHINGTON – Bipartisan congressional negotiators released details of the annual must-pass National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which includes the Authenticating Local Emergencies and Real Threats (ALERT) Act, legislation authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). The ALERT Act, which was introduced following the false emergency alert that went out across Hawai‘i in January 2018, will improve the emergency alert system and give the federal government the primary...

WASHINGTON – Today, congressional leaders released the details of the annual defense authorization bill, which includes a provision authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that will provide 2 million federal workers with 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child after birth, adoption, or the initiation of foster care. At introduction, Schatz’s provision was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and...

HONOLULU – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on the downlisting of Hawai‘i’s state bird, the nene, from “endangered” to “threatened.” “The recovery of the nene shows how the Endangered Species Act is supposed to work. With a science-based recovery plan and a strong partnership between the state and federal governments, the species has gradually rebounded. We have a long way to go before the nene is...

HONOLULU – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on the 78th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.“Seventy-eight years ago, more than 2,400 American patriots lost their lives at Pearl Harbor. Today, we remember their service, salute their heroism, and honor their families. We also give thanks to the veterans and survivors who answered the call to defend our nation. The Greatest Generation faced one of the darkest moments in human...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on the shooting incident at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. “Our thoughts are with all of the people affected by this tragedy, especially the families of the victims. For over a century, the Navy, their local civilian colleagues, and the greater Pearl Harbor community have worked together every day to protect our nation. That legacy is deeply woven into our history and our state. While we honor...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representatives Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawai‘i) and Ed Case (D-Hawai‘i) demanded answers from the Census Bureau and the Department of the Interior (DOI) on an error the Bureau made in the 2013 and 2018 counts of Compact of Free Association (COFA) citizens in Hawai‘i that resulted in an underpayment of $17 million in federal funds to the state. The delegation called...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), the top Democrat on the Senate Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee, led a group of 16 senators in reintroducing legislation to protect people’s personal data online. The Data Care Act would require websites, apps, and other online providers to take responsible steps to safeguard personal information and stop the misuse of users’ data. “People have a basic expectation that...

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that Hawai‘i will receive $26 million in new federal disaster relief funding. The new Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding adds to the $71 million announced earlier this year, and will help state and local governments rebuild impacted communities, especially in low- and moderate-income areas, and provide resources to help businesses recover. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) introduced the Treating Workers With Dignity Act, new legislation that would guarantee employees receive a break to eat a meal, use the restroom, or tend to their medical needs. “All workers deserve to be treated with dignity. You shouldn’t have to worry about losing your job just because you need a break to eat a meal or use the restroom,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bill will extend these basic and essential...

WASHINGTON – Today, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that the State of Hawai‘i will receive a $6.5 million grant to purchase new buses for Kauai and Hawai‘i Island. “Investing in new buses for Hawai‘i Island and Kauai means that the residents who depend on them to get to school or work every day will continue to have an affordable way to get around,” said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced new legislation that would raise billions of dollars to improve public safety and broadband in rural areas, including for use in education and health care, through a public auction of wireless frequencies on the C-band spectrum. The Investing in America’s Digital Infrastructure Act would provide a framework for a transparent and competitive auctioning process...

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) issued the following statement on the tragic death of Chief Warrant Officer Two Kirk T. Fuchigami, Jr. of Keaau, Hawai‘i, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Logar Province, Afghanistan. “Chief Warrant Officer Two Kirk Fuchigami served our country with courage and distinction. His death is a loss that will be felt across the Big Island and the state of Hawai‘i, and as a nation, we will always remember his sacrifice....

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Banking Committee and Chair of the Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, introduced the Climate Change Financial Risk Act of 2019. The legislation will direct the Federal Reserve (“Fed”) to conduct stress tests on large financial institutions to measure their resilience to climate-related financial risks. “While our federal regulators are legally obligated to...