Press Releases

Washington, DC – The Department of Defense announced that a majority of the 2,600 civilian employees furloughed at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility should expect to return to work as early as next week, even if the government remains shutdown.  Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel made the announcement Saturday, stating that, “employees whose responsibilities contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities and readiness of service...

Washington, DC—Despite knowing that a government shutdown would hurt seniors, veterans, families, and dedicated public servants, as well as put our economic well-being at risk, House Republicans have stubbornly refused to agree to fund the federal government. Due to their recklessness, the United States government has been forced to shutdown.   Senator Schatz will continue to work to fund the government. However, Senate legal counsel has informed our office that some of our functions...

Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz released the following statement in response to the House’s unwillingness to pass a clean Continuing Resolution, resulting in a government shutdown. “Despite knowing that a government shutdown would hurt seniors, veterans, families, and dedicated public servants, as well as put our economic well-being at risk, House Republicans have stubbornly refused to agree to fund the federal government,” said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz....

Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz released the following statement on House Republicans’ latest political game-playing. “The latest stunt by House Republicans unfortunately demonstrates that they aren’t yet serious about reopening the government. The government shutdown is causing real economic pain for middle class families in Hawai‘i, and there’s a simple way to fix this. All that Speaker Boehner would need to do is to allow the House of...

Washington, DC—U.S. Senator Brian Schatz joined his Senate colleagues in co-sponsoring the Storage Technology for Renewable and Green Energy Act of 2013 (STORAGE). This bipartisan bill promotes the deployment of energy storage technologies, which will accelerate the deployment of renewable energy. “The STORAGE 2013 Act is a smart piece of bipartisan legislation that would allow more renewable energy to be integrated onto the grid, increasing reliability while continuing to expand our...

Washington, DC--Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz announced $1.56 million from the Department of Health and Human Services for Native Hawaiian programs aimed at developing sustainable agriculture, creating stronger families, and expanding job opportunities by funding community-based projects. “The grants announced today will provide job and educational opportunities that will help Native Hawaiian families ensure greater economic self-sufficiency, and better lives for their children,”...

Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz joined his Senate colleagues in voting to get us closer to a deal that will keep the government from shutting down. “A government shutdown would harm the people of Hawai‘i, and it is irresponsible for unbending and intransigent Tea Party Republicans to continue to hold our economy hostage so that they can get their way,” said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz. “Enough is enough. While the Continuing Resolution is not perfect,...

Washington, DC--Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz announced the Department of Health & Human Services’ (DHHS) Administration for Children and Families will award $157,142 for the Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC) in Honolulu. Schatz wrote a letter in support of this grant to DHHS in August highlighting the valuable protections and services that DVAC provides. The DVAC currently serves the Island of Oahu, including 315,000 people on the Leeward Coast, and assists large communities...

Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz released the following statement on the elimination of what is known as the “Monsanto Protection Act” from the Senate version of the short-term appropriations bill, the Continuing Resolution. “The Monsanto Protection Act is bad policy for the country and the State of Hawai‘i,” said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz. “The Senate version of the Continuing Resolution does not include this provision, effectively...

Washignton, DC – Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it will award a grant in the amount of $1,092,739 to improve the Maui Veterans Cemetery in Makawao. “The VA grant will ensure that the groundskeepers and cemetery officials have access to the resources they need to improve the Maui Veterans Cemetery and honor the final resting place of those veterans that are interred there,” said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz. “I am committed to ensuring that our...

Washington, DC--Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz announced the Hawai‘i Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs will receive $3,023,387 from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to create a Hawai‘i Data Center that will support the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance rate review and increase transparency in health care pricing. “Greater oversight of insurance rates will help to ensure Hawai‘i's families receive quality, affordable health...

Washington, DC—Today, Senator Brian Schatz announced that he will be co-sponsoring a number of bills to unlock Hawai‘i students’ full potential by expanding early education, providing more counseling and after school opportunities, fostering excellent educators, and modernizing schools. “In order to build a better future for Hawai‘i, we must begin with our students,” said Senator Brian Schatz. “We know so much about how to help students achieve their...

Today, Senator Brian Schatz announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture will award a total of $1,383,302 in Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants to two Hawai‘i organizations. These grants offered through the Office of Rural Development provide assistance in recruitment, screening, loan packaging, and related activities for prospective self-help housing applicants. “One of the greatest challenges for families in rural Hawai‘i is the high cost of housing.  This...

Washington, DC—Today, Senator Brian Schatz released the following statement in response to the House Republicans’ vote to defund Obamacare and shut down the federal government: “This latest attempt to defund Obamacare will never pass the Senate or be signed by the President. House Republicans again voted against the interests of the American people, risking our economic stability just to prove a point.  There have been times in history when both parties are equally to...

Washington, DC—Today, Senator Schatz released the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed standard on carbon pollution for new power plants: “Today, The Obama Administration took an important step towards reducing carbon pollution and speeding the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.  Power plants account for 40 percent of the carbon pollution in the United States, and while we...

Today, Senator Schatz announced the release $236,277,358  in federal funds for the Honolulu Rail Transit project.  This U.S. Department of Transportation funding will be used to continue building Hawai‘i’s first light rail system. “Federal funding for the rail project continues to flow and we continue to receive assurance from the DOT and the FTA that it is full speed ahead,” said Senator Brian Schatz. “After 40 years in the making, the rail...

Today, Senator Brian Schatz announced that the Queens Federal Credit Union in Honolulu and Hawaii First Federal Credit Union in Kamuela will receive a total of $1,183,000 in Financial Assistance (FA) awards from the Department of the Treasury’s Native American CDFI Assistance Program (NACA Program) for fiscal year 2013. “Bolstering access to capital for our Native Hawaiian population provides greater security, stability and opportunities for families,” said Senator Brian...

Today, Senator Brian Schatz delivered a floor speech on the merits of the Affordable Care Act, its benefits in Hawai‘i, and the recklessness of some members of Congress who are holding the debt ceiling vote hostage over implementation of health care reform. “I refuse to engage in the process of political and parliamentary gymnastics designed to score small, short-term wins at the expense of the American people and the economy,” said Senator Brian Schatz.  “It has got...

Washington, DC – Yesterday, Senator Brian Schatz spoke at a congressional briefing with the East-West Center and the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment to inform policymakers about the implications of climate change in Hawai‘i and the Pacific. “In Hawai‘i and throughout the Pacific, climate change is not an abstract concept –it is already having very real consequences,” said Senator Brian Schatz. “Decreased freshwater supplies, higher air and...

Washington, DC--Today, Senator Brian Schatz announced that the State of Hawai‘i will receive $15,300,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation to improve runway safety in Lana‘i. “These funds for the Lana‘i Airport are an important investment in the local economy,” said Senator Brian Schatz.  “The grant will help the Lana‘i Airport remain in compliance with federal regulations and ensure the safety of the tens of thousands of...