Press Releases

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution cosponsored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) recognizing May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. “While AANHPI culture is an integral part of everyday life in Hawai‘i, this month is a chance to lift up and celebrate the incredible contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders across our state and our country.” ###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today objected to an effort by Senate Republicans to politicize the census and add an unconstitutional question on citizenship. “I have lost count of the number of times that Republicans have tried and failed to add citizenship questions to the census,” said Senator Schatz. “We have to see this for what it is: an attempt to reduce the count in immigrant communities. This was never about enforcing the law. It is a pretext to scare people,...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today objected to an effort by Senate Republicans to politicize the census and add an unconstitutional question on citizenship. “I have lost count of the number of times that Republicans have tried and failed to add citizenship questions to the census,” said Senator Schatz. “We have to see this for what it is: an attempt to reduce the count in immigrant communities. This was never about enforcing the law. It is a pretext to scare people,...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, led a group of 11 senators from disaster-impacted states in a letter to President Biden urging the administration to reevaluate and resubmit its request for supplemental disaster funding. In addition to Schatz, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Mazie K. Hirono...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), and U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) led 17 colleagues in a letter urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to finalize its ESG Funds Disclosure Rulemaking. “We recommend the final ESG Disclosures Rule include several key elements the SEC proposed: 1) only allowing funds for which ESG factors are a significant or main consideration to use ESG language in their...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which included several provisions authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The bill contains measures to address air tour noise in Hawai‘i, improve air tour safety, help airports adapt to extreme weather, and establish a Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary at the Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced it has paused the transfer of certain offensive weapons to Israel. “Conditioning military aid to Israel is not unprecedented – presidents of both parties have done it before. While Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself, there is no reason we should provide additional destructive offensive weapons that are...

WASHINGTON – At a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) questioned Acting Labor Department Secretary Julie Su on the FY25 budget request, underscored the urgent need to stop child labor, and called for raising penalties for employers who violate child labor laws. Schatz is the author of the Stop Child Labor Act, bipartisan legislation that would increase maximum fines for child labor violations, establish new criminal penalties, allow victims...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today questioned Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on the FY25 defense budget request, called on Secretary Austin to commit to investing in long-term support for the land and the people impacted by the Red Hill fuel leak, and provide a full detailed accounting of federal spending. In questions directed to Secretary Austin, Senator Schatz asked, “The thing that the community is working...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today called on Congress to pass long-term disaster relief funding for impacted communities across the country, including on Maui and Vermont. Speaking on the Senate floor, Schatz underscored the need to pass funding for the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program in order to provide survivors with flexible assistance to rebuild their homes, small businesses, and communities over the long-term. “Disaster survivors...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement in honor of World Press Freedom Day. “A free press is a cornerstone of any healthy democracy – and it’s vital that we protect and defend it, at home and abroad,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “The growing attacks on credible, independent journalism are alarming, particularly given the many crises and conflicts happening globally. People rely on journalists to...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a senior member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced new legislation to keep kids off social media and help protect them from its harmful impacts. The Kids Off Social Media Act updates legislation Schatz introduced last spring and would set a minimum age of 13 to use social media platforms and prevent social media...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement in response to new rules from the Biden administration enabling the transfer of tax credits for clean energy projects, as well as a new effort to streamline federal permitting for transmission development. The U.S. Treasury Department issued final rules regarding the transfer of clean energy tax credits created under the Inflation Reduction Act – a move that will lower financing costs, increase flexibility for...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation will receive $5.25 million in federal funding to reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency at Sand Island Terminal in Honolulu Harbor. Last summer, Schatz wrote to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in support of the funding which comes from the infrastructure law Congress passed in 2022. “Cutting emissions at our ports is critical to achieving Hawai‘i’s clean...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement after the Biden administration announced over $1 billion in federal funding to build out Tribal water and sanitation infrastructure. Specifically, the funding will help develop clean drinking water sources, reliable sewage systems, and effective solid waste disposal facilities in Tribal communities. “For Native communities, water is a trust resource,” said Chair...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after the Senate passed a national security supplemental funding package with military assistance for Ukraine and other allies, as well as vital humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza and other regions. “In recent months, we’ve watched in horror as Ukrainian soldiers were forced to ration bullets and artillery...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced Hawai‘i will receive more than $3.8 million for projects on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu to improve climate resiliency through the restoration of dunes and wetlands. “This new funding will help make our communities more resilient to climate change while also protecting essential natural resources and increasing food security,” said Senator Schatz. “We’re going to continue fighting to bring federal resources to protect our environment in Hawai‘i...

WASHINGTON – Today, on Earth Day, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that the Hawai‘i Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA) is receiving $62.45 million in grant funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to deliver solar power to low-income households across the state. HGIA is a part of the State of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, and will help finance residential rooftop solar projects as well as storage and community-owned solar systems. In...

WASHINGTON – Today, on Earth Day, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement regarding new actions taken by the Biden administration to expand access to affordable solar energy, further promote the development of renewable energy, and protect public lands. “Buoyed by the biggest climate action in human history with the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden administration is continuing to take significant steps to accelerate the clean energy revolution underway and...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a group of 14 senators in introducing a resolution designating April 2024 as “Preserving and Protecting Local News Month.” The resolution recognizes local news as a public good that serves an essential function in American democracy. “Americans rely on local news to stay informed about their communities and the country,” said Senator Schatz. “As the industry continues to face unprecedented challenges resulting in newsroom closures, layoffs,...