Press Releases

HONOLULU – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured $1.1 million for a first-ever Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Manoa. The funding was included in the bipartisan spending deal signed into law by the president this month. “This new ROTC program at UH will give more Hawai‘i students a chance at earning scholarships and gaining an education, while helping the Navy...

WASHINGTON – Legislation authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) to fight online child exploitation was signed into law on Friday. The new Schatz law will help the Pentagon stop the unacceptable use of the Defense Department’s (DoD) network to view, possess, trade, procure, and even produce child pornography. “This law will give our military leaders the tools they need to get rid of child pornography on DoD’s network, go after offenders, and protect...

WASHINGTON – Legislation authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that secures paid parental leave for federal employees was signed into law by the president today. The new law will provide more than two million federal workers with 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child after birth, adoption, or the initiation of foster care. “This new law means that the federal government’s 2 million workers will no longer be forced to choose between getting a paycheck...

  WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Senate voted unanimously to pass a bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) to ensure that the 2020 Census is fair and accurate. The resolution encourages individuals, families, and households across the United States to take part in the Census so that all communities can be counted. “The Census is essential to our democracy, ensuring that every person is counted and receives the...

  WASHINGTON – Legislation first authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that will prohibit the sale of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to anyone under the age of 21 passed the Senate today and is expected to be signed into law by the president. “This is a big win for public health. Raising the minimum smoking and vaping age to 21 will protect our kids and save lives,” said Senator Schatz. Every day, approximately 1,300 people die from...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives approved articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. “It is a somber time for our country, but one our founders specifically contemplated when they gave Congress the authority to impeach a president. They worried that a corrupt leader would use the presidency for personal gain, and they worried that a foreign government would interfere...

WASHINGTON – Last night, congressional appropriators released a bipartisan spending deal that will increase federal funding for critical programs that benefit Hawai‘i for fiscal year 2020. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, successfully advanced state priorities which are now included in the final deal. “Hawai‘i’s share of federal dollars continues to grow every year,” said Senator Schatz. “This...

  WASHINGTON – A provision authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that secures paid parental leave for all federal employees passed the Senate today and is expected to be signed into law. The new law, included in the annual defense authorization bill, will provide 2 million federal workers with 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child after birth, adoption, or the initiation of foster care. “This new law means that the federal government’s 2 million...

WASHINGTON – Legislation first authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that will prohibit the sale of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to anyone under the age of 21 has been included in a bipartisan spending deal announced by congressional leaders today. “This is a big win for public health. Raising the minimum smoking and vaping age to 21 will protect our kids and save lives,” said Senator Schatz. Every day, approximately 1,300 people die from...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to treat methamphetamine misuse as a priority and devote more federal resources to addressing the growing epidemic in Hawai‘i and across the country.  “By specifically targeting the growing problems of meth misuse and addiction, we can effectively prevent them from becoming a more serious...

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced a bipartisan resolution to ensure the 2020 Census is fair and accurate. The resolution encourages individuals, families, and households across the United States to take part in the Census so that all communities can be counted. “The Census is mandated by the Constitution and plays a vital role in our democracy, ensuring that every person is counted and receives the...

WASHINGTON – The Requiring Every American Defense Installation to Nullify Environmental Stresses for Security (READINESS) Act, legislation authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) is set to become law. The Schatz provision, which was included in the must-pass annual defense authorization bill, will protect military bases from extreme weather events by requiring them to prepare for potential disasters and other risks posed by severe changes in environmental...

WASHINGTON – The End National Defense (END) Network Abuse Act, authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), was included in the annual must-pass National Defense Authorization Act and is expected to be signed into law. The END Network Abuse Act will help the Pentagon stop the unacceptable use of the Defense Department’s (DoD) network to view, possess, trade, procure, and even produce child pornography. “This law will give our military leaders the tools they need to...

WASHINGTON – Bipartisan congressional negotiators released details of the annual must-pass National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which includes the Authenticating Local Emergencies and Real Threats (ALERT) Act, legislation authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). The ALERT Act, which was introduced following the false emergency alert that went out across Hawai‘i in January 2018, will improve the emergency alert system and give the federal government the primary...

WASHINGTON – Today, congressional leaders released the details of the annual defense authorization bill, which includes a provision authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that will provide 2 million federal workers with 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child after birth, adoption, or the initiation of foster care. At introduction, Schatz’s provision was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and...

HONOLULU – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on the downlisting of Hawai‘i’s state bird, the nene, from “endangered” to “threatened.” “The recovery of the nene shows how the Endangered Species Act is supposed to work. With a science-based recovery plan and a strong partnership between the state and federal governments, the species has gradually rebounded. We have a long way to go before the nene is...

HONOLULU – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on the 78th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.“Seventy-eight years ago, more than 2,400 American patriots lost their lives at Pearl Harbor. Today, we remember their service, salute their heroism, and honor their families. We also give thanks to the veterans and survivors who answered the call to defend our nation. The Greatest Generation faced one of the darkest moments in human...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement on the shooting incident at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. “Our thoughts are with all of the people affected by this tragedy, especially the families of the victims. For over a century, the Navy, their local civilian colleagues, and the greater Pearl Harbor community have worked together every day to protect our nation. That legacy is deeply woven into our history and our state. While we honor...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representatives Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawai‘i) and Ed Case (D-Hawai‘i) demanded answers from the Census Bureau and the Department of the Interior (DOI) on an error the Bureau made in the 2013 and 2018 counts of Compact of Free Association (COFA) citizens in Hawai‘i that resulted in an underpayment of $17 million in federal funds to the state. The delegation called...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), the top Democrat on the Senate Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee, led a group of 16 senators in reintroducing legislation to protect people’s personal data online. The Data Care Act would require websites, apps, and other online providers to take responsible steps to safeguard personal information and stop the misuse of users’ data. “People have a basic expectation that...