Press Releases

WASHINGTON — During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, called attention to President Donald Trump’s unlawful efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), warning that it puts millions of lives and American interests at risk. “Because we haven't had Secretary Rubio here to talk about the...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, released the following statement on reports that the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Acting Assistant Administrator for Global Health was put on leave after authoring an internal memo detailing the failures at USAID to provide critical humanitarian aid. “These new details confirm our worst fears: the illegal and...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, issued the following statement after the Trump administration moved to eliminate 1,600 jobs at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and place the majority of personnel remaining on leave. “Trump’s attempted shuttering of USAID is both illegal and carries deadly consequences around the world. None of this is about achieving...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after President Donald Trump said the United States will “take over the Gaza Strip.” “A two-state solution, which Democratic and Republican administrations have supported for decades, must continue to be U.S. policy. Palestinians, including those in Gaza, deserve a chance at a better future, one where they can live with dignity and security. Israelis and...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, today announced that he will place a blanket hold on all of President Donald Trump’s nominees to the State Department until its illegal attempt to shutter the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as an independent agency is reversed. On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he would be acting...

WASHINGTON — At yesterday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the “Malign Influence of the People’s Republic of China at Home and Abroad: Recommendations for Policy Makers,” U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) underscored the importance of U.S. leadership and global engagement in advancing American interests. Using the Philippines and Papua New Guinea as examples, Schatz asked witnesses to lay out the dire consequences of U.S. disengagement, as well as the opportunities it would...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on reporting of the Chinese government’s involvement with community policing in the Republic of Kiribati. “Reports of China’s growing influence across Pacific Island nations, including Kiribati, underscore the need for the United States to continue strengthening our partnerships in the region. To build enduring trust with the people of the Pacific Islands, we...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate voted to pass the National Security Act. “Today, the Senate made good on the United States’ obligations as the leader of the free world to stand with our allies and partners and defend democracy. By passing the National Security Act, we’re sending a message to the world that we remain the indispensable nation. “This funding could not come...

WASHINGTON – As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today voted to advance legislation to repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for the use of military force (AUMFs). “Repealing the outdated 1991 and 2002 AUMFs is good for our national security and will help restore American leadership around the world. It also reasserts Congress’ constitutional role in declaring war. But we still have more work to do. It’s...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement today after voting to convict former President Donald Trump for the incitement of an insurrection on January 6, 2021. “The House Managers presented a convincing case that laid out what we all witnessed. Former President Trump lied repeatedly about the results of a free and fair election and attempted to cheat by pressuring election officials. He incited an insurrection that resulted in a violent...

HONOLULU – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement on the decision to scale down the 2020 Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) and conduct at-sea-only events. “This is the right decision for the health and safety of Hawai‘i’s residents, our armed forces, and our allies. I thank Commander Davidson and Commander Aquilino for working with our state to find a solution that keeps people safe and maintains our military...

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) signed onto a war powers resolution to force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran. “Congress, not the president, has the constitutional authority to declare war, and I oppose a war with Iran,” said Senator Schatz. “No one mourns the death of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, a ruthless terrorist responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of...

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 – 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 – 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...

HONOLULU – The United States Air Force announced it has approved Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range Facility as the preferred alternative for the Air National Guard’s Space Control Squadron. By selecting a site on Kauai, the Air Force will create a new, highly technical squadron to monitor U.S. satellites in support of the national security space mission, ensuring that the military and other national security agencies have access to satellite communication, intelligence, and key...

HONOLULU – The United States Air Force announced it has approved Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range Facility as the preferred alternative for the Air National Guard’s Space Control Squadron. By selecting a site on Kauai, the Air Force will create a new, highly technical squadron to monitor U.S. satellites in support of the national security space mission, ensuring that the military and other national security agencies have access to satellite communication, intelligence, and key...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) applauded the Senate passage of the Deepfake Report Act, bipartisan legislation that would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct an annual study of deepfakes and other types of similar content. Deepfakes are hyper-realistic, digital manipulations of real content that depict events that did not actually occur. “Fake content can damage our national security and undermine...

WASHINGTON – The Senate Appropriations Committee last week approved $16.7 million in federal funding for the East-West Center. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Appropriations Committee, worked with committee leadership in a bipartisan manner to maintain federal funding levels for the East-West Center, which directly supports the U.S. rebalance to the Asia Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue with countries in the region.“The East-West...

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) introduced the Requiring Every American Defense Installation to Nullify Environmental Stresses for Security (READINESS) Act of 2019, legislation that would protect military bases from extreme weather events by requiring them to prepare for potential disasters and other risks posed by severe changes in environmental conditions.“Our military cannot afford to...