Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement on the passing of former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. “Madeleine Albright is a towering figure in American and world history, but I knew her as family. She is my oldest brother’s mother-in-law, and when I came to Washington, we became friends. Actual friends. She was thrilled to have a politician in the family, and wanted to be helpful without casting a long shadow, so...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that Ho‘āhu Energy Cooperative Moloka‘i, a local group developing Moloka‘i’s first community-owned renewable energy resource project, will receive federal support, including technical assistance, from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). “This kind of hands-on federal support will help us expand clean energy production on Moloka‘i as the community moves to take its energy...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) new proposed rule requiring publicly traded companies to disclose their climate risk exposure. “The SEC took a crucial first step to protect investors from material risks related to climate change. Investors need to know exactly how exposed individual companies are to climate risks. For that, they need consistent, comparable, and...

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Safe Connections Act, bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), that will help survivors of domestic violence and other crimes cut ties with their abusers and separate from shared wireless service plans, which can be exploited to monitor, stalk, or control victims. “Giving domestic violence abusers control over their victims’ cell phones is a terrifying...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today announced that 14 community health centers across Hawai‘i will receive $23,749,447 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue providing health care services to underserved communities. “Community health centers provide quality, affordable health care to Hawai‘i families every day,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured $23 million in congressionally directed spending, also known as an earmark, in this year’s appropriations bill for highway improvements on Maui. The new earmark funding will be used to realign 4.5 miles of Honoapi‘ilani Highway from Ukumehame to Launiupoko to make it safer and more resilient to the impacts of coastal erosion and climate change. “This $23 million earmark will directly benefit Maui and help...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured $350,000 in congressionally directed spending, also known as earmarks, in this year’s appropriations bill for the Molokai Land Trust. The new earmark funding will be used to support construction of predator-proof fencing to protect threatened and endangered species within the Mokio Preserve. “This new earmark will protect dozens of threatened and endangered species on Molokai,” said Senator Schatz, a senior...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured more than $240 million in congressionally directed spending, also known as earmarks, in this year’s appropriations bill, including $10 million for housing on Hawai‘i Island. The funding for Hawai‘i County will be used to build affordable housing and emergency shelter units for people experiencing homelessness. “This new earmark funding will help build new shelters and affordable permanent housing for...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today passed the FY22 appropriations bill which includes congressionally directed spending, also known as earmarks, for the first time since 2011. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured more than $240 million in earmarks this year for non-profit organizations and state and county agencies across Hawai‘i. Hawai‘i is set to receive a total of $263 million in congressionally directed spending, which includes earmarks requested by Schatz, and the rest of Hawai‘i’s...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured $8.5 million in congressionally directed spending, also known as an earmark, in this year’s appropriations bill. The new earmark funding will be used to construct a community center and help build senior housing for the Lima Ola Community, an affordable housing development that will house more than 500 families. “This $8 million earmark will go directly to Kaua‘i to help build a community center and...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), who serves as both the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and as the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Housing, secured $22.3 million for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), the highest level of funding ever appropriated by Congress. The record amount, included in this year’s appropriations bill, is $20.3 million more than was allocated last year. “We secured the highest...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured the inclusion of provisions to the FY22 government funding bill that will temporarily extend access to expanded telehealth services. The provisions, which are from the Schatz-authored Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act, allow Medicare beneficiaries in all areas of the country to utilize telehealth services in their homes and allow more types of health care...

WASHINGTON – Congressional leaders today released a bipartisan appropriations deal that will increase federal funding for critical programs that benefit Hawai‘i. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, successfully secured funding for state priorities, which are now included in the final deal. “This is a big increase in federal dollars this year. We are delivering millions in federal funding to help us rebuild our economy and help people...

WASHINGTON – Following a ban in 2011, congressionally directed spending, also known as earmarks, have returned to the annual appropriations process. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured more than $240 million in earmarks this year for non-profit organizations and state and county agencies across Hawai‘i. Hawai‘i is set to receive a total of $263 million in congressionally directed spending, which includes earmarks requested by Schatz, and the rest of Hawai‘i’s congressional...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured an additional $150 million in new federal funding to cover the cost to defuel, permanently close the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, and clean up contaminated water in the affected areas. Schatz worked closely with top leaders in the Biden Administration and the Senate Appropriations Committee to include his funding provision in the new appropriations bill. “This is...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today passed sweeping bipartisan legislation to help reform the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), dropping an unfair mandate to pre-fund its employees’ retirement health benefits, which will provide the USPS with significant financial relief and ensure mail service can continue uninterrupted. “Everyone relies on mail service. It’s how we connect with each other, vote, pay our bills, and get medication or other things we need in life – so it...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement on the Department of Defense’s decision to permanently shut down the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on Oahu. “There will be challenges ahead, but make no mistake: Red Hill will be shut down,” said Senator Schatz. “In order to implement this decision, we’re going to have to provide additional resources and hold DoD’s feet to the fire through congressional...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement in response to the president’s annual State of the Union address. “Tonight, we heard the president reflect on the significant progress we have made in just one year. Amid tough odds, we have seen real results that have led to historic job growth, a more stable economy, and a decline in COVID-19 cases everywhere. But there is still more work to do, and President Biden outlined a clear plan...

HONOLULU – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement on President Joe Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. “Judge Jackson has the legal expertise, record of fairness, and extensive experience – both professional and personal – that will make her an excellent addition to the Supreme Court. She is a highly respected jurist who has excelled in her career as a public defender, at the U.S....

HONOLULU – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and  Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on President Joe Biden’s appointment of Chris Kanazawa to serve as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Hawai‘i and the Western Pacific. “Chris has worked with Hawai‘i’s agricultural businesses and communities for decades, and has held this position before. He is...