Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, issued the following statement after the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China’s sovereignty claim over the South China Sea has no legal basis. “Today's ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration reaffirmed what we have known all along: that China’s outsized claim to the entire South China Sea has no basis in international law. It also showed...

WASHINGTON – In response to the staggering amount of food wasted in the United States every year, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced comprehensive legislation to reduce food waste in stores and restaurants, at schools and institutions, on farms, and in American homes. Forty percent of food across the food supply system in the United States is never eaten— damaging...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) welcomed the announcement today that Hawaiian Airlines has begun ticket sales for a new non-stop service between Kona International Airport and Haneda International Airport. “I congratulate Hawaiian Airlines on their new route from Kona to Tokyo’s Haneda airport. This new service is not just great news for Hawaiian, it’s excellent news for our visitor industry and for Hawaii Island’s local...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) introduced the Restoring Education and Learning (REAL) Act, a bill that would restore Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated individuals in order to reduce recidivism rates, lower corrections spending, and improve safety. “Giving those in prison the opportunity to earn an education has not only proven to be a successful tool for reducing recidivism and crime, we also know it will save taxpayer money,” said Senator...

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $16.7 million in federal funding for the East-West Center.  U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Appropriations Committee, worked to maintain federal funding levels for the East-West Center, which directly supports the U.S. rebalance to the Asia Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue with countries in the region. “As we work through the appropriations process this year,...

WASHINGTON – The Honolulu International Airport was selected to participate in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that will add additional screening capability to the facility, help decrease airport wait times, and improve the travel experience for visitors and residents.  U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, worked with the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) and the U.S. Department of Homeland...

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that Hawai‘i has received $2.7 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service programs. “This new funding is great news for Hawai‘i,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.  “AmeriCorps members supported by these grants will serve across the state, teaching in...

WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans today blocked two sensible measures that would have helped keep guns out of the hands of terrorists and protect Americans from gun violence.  Following the vote, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) renewed calls for commonsense gun safety regulation and vowed to continue pushing for much needed reforms. “More than 90% of Americans demand we take action on gun violence, but again Senate Republicans refuse to act. It’s...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) will introduce the Marijuana Effective Drug Studies (MEDS) Act of 2016, bipartisan legislation that would make it easier for researchers to study the medical effectiveness and safety of marijuana. Similar legislation is being introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Andy Harris (R-Md.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), H. Morgan Griffith...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) sent his proposal to expand the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM) to President Barack Obama following the tenth anniversary of President George W. Bush’s executive order that established the original boundaries for the PMNM.  At 582,578 square miles, the proposal would create the world’s largest marine protected area by expanding the PMNM west of 163° West Longitude out to the full 200...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), ranking member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, released the following statement on today’s decision by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the FCC's net neutrality rules: “This court ruling is a victory for consumers and American innovation. These rules are tech neutral and provide clear regulatory guidance for industry while preserving the...

Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives is poised to vote on a resolution today expressing opposition to a federal carbon fee—a policy many economists, including prominent conservative ones, believe to be the best way to limit the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change.  Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI), authors of American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act, panned the non-binding resolution as irresponsible and further evidence of the...

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Senate leaders named U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, to the House-Senate conference committee that will negotiate funding to fight the Zika virus.  As part of the select group of senators, Schatz’s selection ensures that Hawai‘i’s unique public health concerns will be voiced during negotiations.   “Zika is a public health emergency,” said Senator Schatz, a...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), ranking member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, issued the following statement after the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a report on the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) transition proposal. “NTIA’s report confirms that the IANA transition proposal meets all of NTIA’s criteria. “The...

HONOLULU – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, introduced the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2016. This legislation would ensure that surviving Filipino veterans are fully eligible for the benefits they earned while serving under the U.S. flag during the Second World War.   “We have failed Filipino World War II veterans,” said Senator...

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bipartisan defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017.  U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, worked to include $12 million in the bill for the recapitalization of the Barking Sands Tactical Underwater Range (BARSTUR) off of Kauai.  “This smart investment will give us the resources to strengthen our national security and ensure Kauai and our state...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) introduced the Fossil Aid is Inefficient and Regressive (FAIR) Energy Policy Act, legislation that would balance tax preferences for the clean energy and fossil fuel industries.  “If we are phasing out tax credits for clean energy—something I oppose—then why are we still committing to permanently support the fossil fuel industries with tax preferences they don’t need?  The FAIR Energy Policy...

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bipartisan defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017.  U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped secure $222 million for the Army’s High Performance Computing Modernization Program, which supports the Department of Defense’s Regional Supercomputers, including the Maui High Performance Computing Center.  Schatz worked to boost the funding...

WASHINGTON – Senate appropriators approved a bipartisan spending deal today that would fund $55 million in federal funding for clean energy technology and implementation projects, including ones in Hawai‘i. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped secure the funds which now await a final vote by the Senate. “Hawai‘i’s partnerships with the military to research and implement clean technology are proving that...

Washington, D.C. - Today, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee passed the OPEN Government Data Act. Senators Ben Sasse (R-NE) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) have led the bipartisan effort to require public data to be accessible at Data.gov so individuals, organizations, and other government offices can utilize it. The legislation must now go before the full Senate. "I'm pleased that this bipartisan open data bill is heading to the Senate floor,” said...