Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee member Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) today announced the introduction of S. 1331, the Seasonal Forecasting Improvement Act. The legislative proposal directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve seasonal forecasts – defined in the bill as periods over two weeks but less than two years. “Seasonal...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) sent a letter to President Obama urging him to bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Mitsuye Endo.  The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor of the United States. “Ms. Endo was an ordinary person who made the extraordinary choice to forego her own freedom in order to secure the rights of 120,000 Japanese Americans who were wrongfully imprisoned without the benefit of due...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) today announced that their bipartisan resolution recognizing the contributions of tourism to the United States passed the Senate. The bipartisan resolution supports the goals of National Travel and Tourism Week—which this year is being marked on May 2-10—and recognizes the important role travel and tourism play in boosting the U.S. economy. One out...

Washington, D.C. – Today, Hawaii’s Congressional Delegation announced that the University of Hawai‘i will receive $1.5 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for research in high energy physics. Eventually, a total of $8.9 million will be invested. “The study of particle physics is what led to the discovery of the electron over 100 years ago. Understanding the subatomic particles that make up the universe is more than just a curiosity, but something...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and eleven of his colleagues sent a letter to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-Oka.) and Ranking Member Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) urging them to include updates to current law to promote and prioritize safety for all users of our national transportation system.  In addition to Senator Schatz, the following Senators cosigned the letter: U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and 37 Senate Democrats sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell following reports that insurers are failing to cover forms of contraception approved by the FDA, as required under the Affordable Care Act, and failing to provide women with accurate information about the...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Al Franken (D-Minn.) introduced the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act, a bill to provide grants to Native American language educational organizations to preserve disappearing Native languages.  The bill reauthorizes the Native American Languages Program until 2020,...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement in response to the Obama Administration announcement that it would provide $20 million in grants to local police departments for the purchase of body cameras for officers.  Departments awarded the funding will be part of a pilot program which will evaluate the impacts of body cameras. “The announcement today by the Administration is an important step forward,” said Senator...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement to mark the start of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, which commemorates the history, contributions, and achievements of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. “During the month of May, we celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, recognizing the lasting contributions to our nation made by the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. ...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) joined other Senate Democrats in introducing a bill to raise the minimum wage to $12 by 2020 to help more families make ends meet, expand economic opportunity, and help build an economy that works for all families, not just the wealthiest few. “If you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to support your...

Washington, D.C. – Following one of the most sweeping food recalls in history by Blue Bell Creameries and yesterday’s announcement of a recall of potentially contaminated pasta salad at Hy-Vee stores across the Midwest, seven Senators joined today in urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to fully fund the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety activities authorized by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).  Since it was signed into law in 2011, the FSMA has been...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments on same-sex marriage. “Equality and fairness are basic principles we all can understand,” said Senator Schatz.  “Today, as the Supreme Court begins to hear arguments on marriage equality, I am confident it will rule that marriage equality is a constitutional right.  Committed couples, whether they are gay or...

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), all members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, sent a letter to United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan urging the agency to take steps to modernize their 190,000-strong fleet of vehicles by investing in technology solutions to improve safety and reduce emissions. “We applaud the United States Postal...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced the Inspiring New STEM Professionals by Investing in Renovation of Education Spaces (INSPIRES) Act of 2015.  The INSPIRES Act would provide school districts, community colleges, and other education institutions funding for modernizing, renovating, or repairing STEM and career and technical education (CTE) facilities. “Over the past decade, we have seen STEM job growth...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) , and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs U.S. Representatives Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), and U.S. Representative Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) introduced resolutions in the Senate and House of Representatives supporting efforts to ensure that students have access to debt-free higher education.  Over the last 30 years, the cost of...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Hawaii’s Congressional Delegation announced that the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Veteran Affairs (VA) awarded $1,252,253.00 to go toward 110 targeted vouchers to help provide housing for Hawaii’s veterans experiencing homelessness. The City and County of Honolulu will receive $977,616 for 80 vouchers, while the remaining $274,637 will be directed to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for 30 vouchers.  “I am...

Washington, D.C – Today, the Senate passed U.S. Senator Brian Schatz’s (D-Hawai‘i) motion to instruct budget conferees to include in their final report language affirming the need for legislation to ensure that all legally married same-sex spouses have equal access to the Social Security and veterans’ benefits they have earned.  The motion passed by voice vote.   “This is not an ideological proposal.  This is about treating veterans, disabled...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) issued the following statement after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Iran Nuclear Review Act by a vote of 19-0. “I am supportive of the bipartisan legislation that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved today.  I am satisfied that this legislation will not interfere with the Administration’s ability to negotiate a diplomatic solution while clarifying the congressional...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sent a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell urging the Department to solicit information from the public on both the potential climate impact of black carbon pollution and the availability of black carbon pollution control...

Washington, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement after the Obama Administration announced the United States’ commitment to reduce carbon pollution by 28 percent over the next ten years in an effort to combat climate change. “Today’s commitment by the Administration to cut carbon pollution by 28 percent in the next decade is critical to our fight against climate change.  President Obama has laid out a bold...