Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation Housing and Urban Development, today released the following statement after Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit’s updated full funding grant agreement (FFGA). With the FFGA finalized, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is now set to release millions in remaining federal funding, which was withheld by FTA following delays and...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) introduced the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, a bill that would provide federal employees with a 7.4 percent pay increase in calendar year 2025. Schatz previously introduced similar legislation in the 115th, 116th, and 117th Congresses. The federal government has a history of chronic underinvestment in its most valuable asset: the federal workforce. Federal employees have had to...

WASHINGTON – Following calls led by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (D-Hawai‘i) and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawai‘i), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will increase the recently-authorized summer meal benefit for children in Hawai‘i to account for the higher cost of food in the state. This summer, children in Hawai‘i will receive $59 per month, compared to $40 per month in the continental U.S. “This adjustment...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement after President Joe Biden and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced that the Department of Energy will pause approvals of liquified natural gas (LNG) exports as it reviews its criteria for determining whether applications are in the public interest. “As the U.S. makes historic progress towards building a clean energy future on the heels of the Inflation Reduction Act, we can’t simultaneously expand...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today spoke on the Senate floor to mark the 51st  anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision and called for restoring reproductive rights across the country. “Because of the current right-wing Supreme Court's decision almost two years ago to dismantle reproductive freedom, women in many parts of the United States today have less control over their bodies than they did 50 years ago after Roe. The Dobbs decision was the crowning achievement of the...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that Hawai‘i will receive $24.4 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to cover the costs of repairs to roadways and structures on Maui and Kaua‘i that were damaged by landslides and severe rain in recent years. “This new federal funding will help repair storm-damaged roads and structures and make them more resilient to flooding, enabling commuters across the state to get around more quickly and safely,” said Senator...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that Hawai‘i will receive $74.6 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for the rehabilitation of the Nanue and Hakalau bridges on Hawai‘i Island. Schatz urged USDOT to allocate funding for these projects which will help maintain traffic capacity and safety. The funding, which comes from the infrastructure law that Congress passed in 2021, will also enable the completion of environmental remediation of lead...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a majority of the Senate Democratic Caucus in announcing plans to file an amendment to the forthcoming national security supplemental package that reiterates longstanding U.S. policy in support of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Schatz was joined by 48 senators, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ben...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Co-Chair of the Senate Telehealth Working Group and author of the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act, led a group of bipartisan lawmakers to urge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to work with Congress to ensure Medicare beneficiaries maintain access to telehealth. In a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the lawmakers underscored the urgent need to act on...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin the process to update its approach for calculating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Hawai‘i to ensure they accurately reflect the cost of food across the state. Beginning today through March 4, 2024, the USDA will seek information from stakeholders throughout Hawai‘i on the cost of food and how the program can better serve local...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representative Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) introduced the Biliteracy Education Seal and Teaching (BEST) Act, legislation that would provide federal grants to states to create Seal of Biliteracy programs that encourage and recognize high school students who achieve proficiency in at least two languages. The Senate bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.M.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.),...

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai‘i), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced bipartisan legislation to develop guidelines for state and local governments to improve emergency evacuation preparedness. The Emergency Vehicle and Community (EVAC) Planning Act would direct the Department of Transportation (DOT), in consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to develop and publicly disseminate guidance and...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on today’s vote relative to a resolution under Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, which would require the State Department to provide a report of potential human rights violations and use of U.S. military weapons in Gaza. Due to an unavoidable absence today, Schatz was unable to vote relative to the motions to move forward with S.Res.504 and the legislative vehicle for the continuing resolution – both...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on the discovery of damage at the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole which forced a shut down operations. “I’ve been in contact with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and he is working with the FAA to help to solve this problem as quickly as possible,” said Senator Schatz, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. ###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Hawai‘i with a $6.9 million grant to improve charging infrastructure across the state. “This new federal funding will make EV charging more reliable and accessible for Hawai‘i families, and help the State of Hawai‘i achieve its ambitious goals for building a clean economy,” said Senator Schatz, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced the names of 37 students he nominated to attend the nation’s military service academies. “These students represent the very best of Hawai‘i, and it’s an honor to nominate them to our nation’s military service academies,” said Senator Schatz. “I commend them for their commitment to serving our country, and wish them the very best.” The United States Air Force Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, the United States...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today spoke on the Senate floor responding to statements made in court this week by former President Donald Trump’s legal team claiming absolute impunity for crimes committed by presidents, even if they were to include the ordering of SEAL Team Six to assassinate a political rival. “What's being contemplated here – the ordering of a murder – is a crime,” said Senator Schatz. “It's a violation of the criminal code and every other person in the...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on the bipartisan government funding agreement announced today by congressional leaders. “Funding the government is one of our most fundamental responsibilities. With a divided Congress, it was clear agreeing on funding priorities would be challenging. While this is not perfect, this agreement prevents deep cuts in domestic discretionary spending that would hurt...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement in response to a deadly earthquake in western Japan that killed dozens and resulted in widespread destruction. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this awful tragedy in Japan,” said Senator Schatz. “We mourn every life lost and pray for the safe and speedy rescue of all of the remaining survivors. The people of Japan and Hawai‘i have long shared a special bond. As the search and rescue process...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement after the Federal Trade Commission unveiled a proposal aimed at expanding protections for children’s privacy online. Specifically, the proposal would limit the ability of social media platforms to send push notifications to young users and further limit data retention for youth, among other things. “Tech platforms have knowingly harvested and profited off of children’s data for years, using targeted advertising...