Press Releases

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today voted 85-5 to pass a bipartisan housing package which includes the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act. The provision, authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), will help communities recover from major disasters more quickly by establishing a permanent and predictable funding process at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). “Right now, each time a disaster happens, communities in crisis are forced to wait for Congress to pass a...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) spoke today on the Senate floor about President Donald Trump’s preoccupation with building monuments and hosting sporting events while Americans across the country struggle to make ends meet amid rising prices. “$600 million to build a ballroom at the White House. $100 million to build a triumphal arch. $250 million to renovate the Kennedy Center. And $60 million to host a UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House. These are the things...

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that the five Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems and Papa Ola Lokahi, which coordinates health care programs and services for Native Hawaiians, will receive nearly $25 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This funding, provided through the Native Hawaiian Health Care Program, will help the centers provide health education, promotion, disease prevention, and basic primary care...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today celebrated a pair of wins for two Hawai‘i chefs who recently competed and won major national cooking competition shows. Chef Rhoda Magbitang, a Hawai‘i Island resident and executive chef at CanoeHouse, was crowned the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef this month, while Lee Anne Wong, a Maui resident, owner of Koko Head Cafe on O‘ahu, and a former Top Chef finalist, won Season 3 of the Food Network’s 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing. In remarks on the...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), vice chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, renewed calls to 15 museums and universities to promptly repatriate Native ancestral remains and cultural items to the communities they belong to and meet their obligations under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The renewed call follows efforts Schatz has led over the past few years to address the slow repatriation process by many U.S. institutions who...

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced the Pacific POWER Act, bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) to promote geothermal exploration and production in the Indo-Pacific by leveraging the United States’ expertise as the world leader in geothermal electricity generation capacity. In addition to Schatz, the bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Curtis (R-Utah), and John Fetterman...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) joined colleagues in introducing the Federal Flood Risk Management Act, legislation to ensure that federally-funded infrastructure projects are built to withstand the impacts of flooding and other extreme weather. Flooding is the most common natural disaster in Hawai‘i and nationwide, most recently evidenced during the Kona low storms earlier this year. “Extreme weather is becoming more frequent and more severe in Hawai‘i and across the country,...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his government’s plans to ban access to social media for all children under the age of 16. Schatz is the lead author of the Kids Off Social Media Act, bipartisan legislation that will keep kids off social media and help protect them from its harmful impacts. “The UK is the latest example of a country stepping up to protect kids online. More and more governments...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced legislation to curb the sending of sexually explicit images online, also known as cyberflashing, by creating a federal private right of action for victims who receive such images and imposing civil penalties for individuals who send them. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.) and Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas). “No one...

WASHINGTON – More than 41,000 Hawai‘i residents joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz’s (D-Hawai‘i) statewide telephone town hall today. Senator Schatz heard from constituents about their priorities, provided updates on his work in the Senate, and took questions on rising costs, federal funding, housing, health care, among other topics. “I always appreciate the chance to hear directly from people across Hawai‘i about their priorities and concerns,” said Senator Schatz. “Mahalo to everyone who joined...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today demanded answers from the Trump administration on concerning reports that some immigration enforcement personnel have refused to recognize Tribal IDs and unnecessarily questioned and detained Tribal citizens. “It is well-established law that Tribal citizens born within the United...

WASHINGTON – Following an agreement between U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon last month on the senator’s request to avoid cuts to the Native Hawaiian Education Program, the department today officially began the process to extend the $46 million in federal funding for another year. “This is good news for Hawai‘i. This money helps thousands of young kids develop learning skills and gives local families more affordable child care...

WASHINGTON – During a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the State Department’s budget request for FY27, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) urged U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to quickly release billions of dollars in funding that Congress has appropriated for GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and other global health programs. In his opening remarks, Senator Schatz, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on...

WASHINGTON – During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) pressed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on sales of advanced technologies to China and concessions on Taiwan made during President Donald Trump’s recent trip to China. Schatz also questioned Rubio about the impact of the Iran war on key Indo-Pacific allies and partners. “It's pretty plain that the president violated one of the Six Assurances,” said Senator Schatz. “He says, we discussed...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) introduced the Pacific Promotion of Workable Energy Resources (POWER) Act, bipartisan legislation to promote geothermal exploration and production in the Indo-Pacific by leveraging the United States’ expertise as the world leader in geothermal electricity generation capacity. “With energy demand rising and countries experiencing shortages, we have an opportunity to extend our leadership in geothermal energy and help...

WASHINGTON – During a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing on sports betting, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) discussed with gaming experts vulnerabilities created by micro prop bets in sports and the need to address illegal, offshore sports books that harm sports integrity. Schatz is set to introduce legislation to outlaw micro prop bets in games and provide the Federal Trade Commission with authority to go after companies that knowingly facilitate illegal, offshore gambling. “Micro prop...

WASHINGTON – Ahead of a vote to consider Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) condemned the inclusion of $1 billion in funding for President Donald Trump’s ballroom. “A billion dollars goes a long way, especially in a state like Hawai‘i,” said Senator Schatz. “With a billion dollars, we could cover the out-of-pocket cost of insulin for every person in the state who relies on it for almost 20 years. We could help provide healthy meals to women, infants,...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a group of 20 senators in introducing legislation to protect public scientific research and reports from the influence of political and special interests. In addition to Schatz, the Scientific Integrity Act was co-sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Amy Klobuchar...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today unanimously passed a resolution authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) congratulating the University of Hawai‘i (UH) men’s volleyball team on their NCAA National Championship win. Schatz and Hirono also paid tribute to the team’s victory in speeches on the Senate floor. “Congratulations to the ‘Bows on their well-deserved victory,” said Senator Schatz. “This win wasn’t just for the incredible athletes on the court....

WASHINGTON – During a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) pressed U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the Trump administration’s preparedness for the Iran war given the scramble to move weapons systems from the Indo-Pacific and evacuate American personnel in the region after the war started. President Trump previously said the administration was “shocked” by Iran’s response. Senator Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations...