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 U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii has had her first bill as a federal lawmaker signed into law, a measure speeding up tax breaks for donations made to typhoon relief in the Philippines. Hirono's office said Wednesday that President Barack Obama signed the bill into law late Tuesday night allowing taxpayers to claim deductions for donations...

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation that provides “expedited tax relief” for Americans making charitable donations in support of Typhoon Haiyan recovery efforts in the Philippines.  The bill was sponsored by Sen. Mazie Hirono in the Senate — her first...

US Senator Mazie Hirono met with Maui veterans and service members, administrative officials and workers at the H?li?imaile  Pineapple Company as part of a visit to the Valley Isle this week. The visit with veterans at the Nisei Veterans Memorial Center comes ahead of similar stops on ?Oahu and Hawai?i Island as the senator...

This year, my focus is on closing what many call “the opportunity gap.” As families in Hawaii know all too well, many are working harder and getting by with less. One thing we can do to help address this concern is to build a stronger clean-energy economy. This is an opportunity for Hawaii to innovate and diversify our economy, which...

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill sponsored by Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono and others that would incentivize charitable contributions to Typhoon Haiyan recovery efforts in the Philippines by allowing donors to receive their tax benefits about a year earlier than normal. The legislation, called the Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance...

The U.S. Senate this week unanimously passed legislation sponsored by Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Dean Heller (R-NV), Harry Reid (D-NV) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) “that provides expedited tax relief for Americans making charitable donations in support of Typhoon...

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) joined religious leaders, advocates for women andminimum wage workers at a press conference yesterday in Washington, D.C., “to urge Republicans to support raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, which would lift the wages of 15 million American...

WASHINGTON — And on Thursday, the Dalai Lama prayed in the U.S. Senate. With dozen of lawmakers listening raptly, the Nobel laureate from Tibet opened the session with his favorite prayer and words of advice. He delivered his brief remarks in both a foreign tongue as well as self-described "broken English." "With our thoughts, we make...

GWEN IFILL: The Senate blocked a bipartisan bill on military sexual assaults today. It would have removed commanders from decisions about prosecuting sexual assault cases. Supporters of the measure, sponsored by New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, argued far-reaching changes are needed to curb the number of rapes and sexual assaults. Hawaii...

In an effort to boost assistance to victims of last year’s Typhoon Haiyan, senators passed a bill Thursday that would allow donors to deduct new charitable contributions from last year’s taxes. The bill (S 1821), which passed the Senate by unanimous consent, would allow people who make donations from the date of enactment of the bill...

Hawaii’s congressional representatives have reacted to President Obama’s $3.9 trillion budget request this week. Some highlights: • U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono: "The President’s Budget takes significant steps to close the opportunity gap by supporting middle class families and those working...

Last November, Typhoon Haiyan, the most powerful storm ever recorded on land wrought horrific destruction across the central Philippines. With sustained winds of nearly 150 mph and waves higher than many of the buildings in the region, Haiyan caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and left more than 6,000 people dead, 27,000 injured and 4...

New Zealand will open a consulate in Hawaii to strengthen ties with northern Pacific nations, according to the country’s foreign affairs minister. Murray McCully, foreign affairs minister for New Zealand, says the consulate will be located at Bishop Square’s Pauahi Tower in Downtown Honolulu. The consulate will be cross-accredited to...

Sen. Mazie Hirono and Mike Lee (R-UT) have introduced the Encouraging Trade and Investment from New Zealand Act, legislation to that would extend eligibility for trade (E-1) and investor (E-2) temporary entry visas to New Zealand, “to promote trade and investment in the United States,” according...

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii): “Seventy two years ago, hundreds of thousands of innocent Japanese Americans were taken from their families and uprooted from their homes. As time passes, we must continue to share their stories and ensure that future generations don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. Part of this commitment is making...

The second highest leader in the U.S. Senate is in Hawaii this week touring military facilities and bases. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says Hawaii is at the center of the country’s plan to rebalance its military. His visit included a tour of U.S. Pacific Command, also known as PACOM. “If you look at the territory and the oceans involved...

New legislation in the Senate would require cellphones to come with a “kill switch” to make them less appealing to thieves. Mandating the feature on all new cellphones would erase people’s personal and financial data and render the phones useless if they are stolen, the four Democrats backing the measure say. According to the...

U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono, Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Mark Begich (D-AK) on Thursday introduced the Native Adult Education and Literacy Act, legislation that would “increase educational access to Native communities by awarding competitive grants for Tribal Colleges and Universities and Native Hawaiian Education...

The University of Hawai‘i system may receive federal funding to offer tuition assistance to undocumented students under a bill introduced in Congress last month. The Investing In States To Achieve Tuition Equity for DREAMers Act of 2014 would provide $750 million during the course of 10 years in need-based financial aid to states such as...

Last week, the Democratic women senators stood together at an amazing event where we delivered a very important message: No American woman should ever work a full-time job and still raise her children in poverty. Yet at a time when 400 American families have more wealth than 150 million, an American single mom earning minimum wage at a full-time...