Press Releases

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...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement congratulating the University of Hawai‘i’s men’s volleyball team on winning the 2026 NCAA National Championship. “Congratulations to the UH men’s volleyball team on an incredible championship win! Our team battled all season long, played with heart, and showed what Hawai?i volleyball is all about. We’re all proud of you. Go ‘Bows!” ###

HONOLULU – Following a disturbing incident involving an attack on a Hawaiian monk seal in Lahaina, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, called on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to step up efforts to better educate the public on the need to protect Hawaiian monk seals, one of the most endangered seal species in the world. “This alarming incident shows that we need to do more to...

WAILUKU – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), vice chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, visited the site of Halau of ‘Oiwi Art in Wailuku to view the ongoing construction. The center will be dedicated to the study, practice, celebration and perpetuation of hula and associated arts and will also be used as a resilience hub for shelter and recovery in the event of a disaster. In 2022, Senator Schatz delivered $11 million in federal earmark funding for the project, which broke ground...

HONOLULU – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today spoke with U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon and reiterated his request that the department avoid cuts to the Native Hawaiian Education Program. In response, McMahon agreed to keep the program fully funded for current grant recipients for at least another year, which guarantees $46 million in federal funding secured by Schatz in Congress will continue to flow to the...

LAHAINA – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today joined a signing ceremony to meet with and congratulate Maui families impacted by the 2023 fires who are set to receive a federal award of up to $600,000 to help buy a new home. The awards, part of the county’s First-Time Homebuyer Opportunity Program, is funded by the $1.6 billion in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) money Schatz secured for Maui in 2024. “We fought for this money in Washington because we...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a group of nine senators in introducing a resolution recognizing growing threats to freedom of the press around the world and reaffirming the vital role of independent journalism in promoting democracy, human rights, and good governance. “A free press is a cornerstone of any healthy democracy – and it’s vital that we protect and defend it, at home and abroad,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “The...