Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted to pass more than $110 billion in new long-term recovery funding for disaster-impacted communities nationwide. Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, worked to include an estimated $1.6 billion in new Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding for housing on Maui and an estimated $480 million more for economic development, small business...

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate passed the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which includes several provisions secured by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) to benefit Hawaii’s communities and strengthen the state’s disaster resilience. The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Army, through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, to conduct studies, construct projects, and research activities to improve U.S. waterways. The...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released an additional $250 million to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) as part of its Amended Full Funding Grant Agreement signed in February. The funding follows February’s initial release of $125 million and was delivered after HART completed the contract award for the City Center Guideway and Stations. “HART and the City continue to make good progress...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College system and restore democracy by allowing the direct election of presidents through popular vote alone. “In an election, the person who gets the most votes should win. It’s that simple,” said Senator Schatz. “No one’s vote should count for more based on where they live. The Electoral College is outdated and it’s undemocratic....

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and U.S. Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee renewed efforts to urge President Joe Biden to pardon Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist convicted of murder in 1977 following a controversial investigation and trial, which many civil rights leaders and legal experts have called unjust, including the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today led a group of 17 colleagues in reintroducing the End the Threat of Default Act, legislation that would permanently remove the threat of a default by repealing the national debt ceiling, an arbitrary limit restricting the amount that the United States Treasury can borrow to pay its debts. In June 2023, the president signed legislation that suspended the statutory debt ceiling until January 2, 2025. “Defaulting on our national debt would be...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today reiterated calls for Congress to pass long-term disaster aid for survivors on Maui and nationwide before Congress is scheduled to go on recess at the end of next week. Schatz has repeatedly led calls for flexible, long-term aid for survivors of last year’s Lahaina fires so that they can rebuild as quickly as possible, particularly housing. “I want to be perfectly clear: we cannot and we will not leave town next week without passing...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) led a bipartisan and bicameral group of 100 lawmakers in calling for the extension of expanded Medicare coverage of telehealth services to be included in a year-end appropriations package. Provisions from the Schatz-Wicker legislation, the CONNECT for Health Act, were included in previous COVID-19 relief legislation to allow Medicare beneficiaries in all areas of the country, and in their homes, to utilize telehealth...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a group of 12 senators today in renewing calls to the Biden Administration to urge the governments of Israel and Egypt to protect press freedom and allow journalists into Gaza to cover the ongoing war. In addition to Schatz, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), George Helmy...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, today again called on President Biden to pardon Native American activist Leonard Peltier who was convicted of murder in 1977 following a controversial investigation and trial, which many civil rights leaders and legal experts have called unjust, including the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case. Since 2022, Schatz has repeatedly led colleagues in calling on the president to grant Peltier, who...

WASHINGTON – Following calls for increased benefits for Hawai‘i families, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed updates to its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Hawai‘i to ensure they accurately reflect the cost of food across the state. The USDA has proposed a 2.3 percent increase in SNAP benefits for Hawai‘i, which would result in an estimated $40 monthly increase for a family of four. “For...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has been leading efforts in Congress to deliver additional federal funding to help Maui recover from last year’s tragic fires. This week, Schatz worked with the White House to release an updated disaster funding request, pressed the Department of Housing and Urban Development on rebuilding housing in Lahaina at a Senate hearing, and spoke out on the Senate floor again to call attention to...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) once again urged colleagues in Congress to pass disaster relief for survivors on Maui and across the country before the end of the year. Schatz has continually stressed the need for passing long-term assistance to help survivors rebuild in Lahaina. In the coming weeks, Congress is expected to debate an aid package for nearly 40 states affected by disasters nationwide. “Everyone is doing the best that they can to recover,” said Senator Schatz....

WASHINGTON — At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) pressed federal officials on the recovery efforts on Maui and called for additional federal funding. Schatz questioned top officials from key federal agencies—the Department of Transportation, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Department of Agriculture—about urgent long-term needs, including Community...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement on an updated disaster funding request submitted by the White House. The updated request follows remarks delivered by Schatz on the Senate floor calling for long-term disaster relief funding.  “Maui and communities across the country hit by disasters can’t rebuild alone. They need federal support. That means immediately passing supplemental disaster...

WASHINGTON – 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) today released the following joint statement on two reports issued by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General on the overall safety of the Defense Fuel Support Point Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam. The delegation called for the independent investigations in November 2021 and December 2021. “These independent reports make clear...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced Hawai‘i will receive two grants totaling more than $3.8 million in new federal funding to bolster pedestrian and bicycle safety on Oahu. The funding, which Schatz helped secure and comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, will be used to implement a safety demonstration program at high-injury locations across Oahu.   “Everyone, including pedestrians and bikers, deserves safe...

WASHINGTON – As Congress reconvenes this week for the final few weeks of session for the year, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today called on colleagues to prioritize passing a disaster aid package that includes long-term relief for disaster survivors on Maui and elsewhere across the country. Schatz underscored the long road to recovery in Lahaina since last year’s tragic fires and the range of outstanding needs, including rebuilding homes, small businesses, schools, and other critical...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that Hawai‘i will receive $33 million to rehabilitate the Wailuku River Bridge on Hawai‘i Island. “Upgrading aging infrastructure is critical to ensuring people can get around safely for years to come,” said Senator Schatz, chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation. “Making these necessary upgrades to the Wailuku River Bridge will result in less disruptions and safer commutes for people on Hawai‘i...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. “As the leader of Hamas and the mastermind of the October 7th attack in Israel, Yahya Sinwar is responsible for the murders of thousands of innocent civilians, including Americans. His death is welcome news, and we hope it will provide a measure of justice and comfort to the families of victims and hostages terrorized...