Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Following the White House announcement of a new policy that will reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their children, Hawaii and national advocates highlighted the importance of expediting the visa process for the families of the brave Filipino people who served our country: “This is a day to celebrate,”...

Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are fighting to increase access to telemedicine for Medicare patients in new legislation introduced this week. The bipartisan Telemedicine for Medicare (TELE-MED) Act, is a bill that would allow Medicare patients to seek care from Medicare doctors across state lines through telemedicine services. "As...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted to pass the Every Child Achieves Act, which included several key priorities for Hawaii students. The Every Child Achieves Act, which passed the Senate 81-17, is the first comprehensive bill aimed at improving elementary and secondary education to pass the Senate since the 2001 No Child Left...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the White House announced a new policy to reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their children— an initiative that Senator Mazie K. Hirono has long been fighting for. The Huffington Post broke the news of the announcement, highlighting Senator Hirono’s long push for expediting the visa process for...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- This morning, Senator Mazie K. Hirono spoke about the importance of finding renewable energy solutions for island states and communities like Hawaii at a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on Islanded Energy Systems in Alaska, Hawaii, and the U.S. Territories. Senator Hirono heard from stakeholders from...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement today after President Obama announced a final agreement to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon: “I will carefully review the historic, comprehensive nuclear agreement reached today with Iran. I have long supported sanctions against Iran to prevent it...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) named Senator Mazie K. Hirono to the FY16 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Committee. The NDAA is an annual bill that lays out the Department of Defense’s budget and strategic plan for the...

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Army today announced plans to reduce its end-strength by 40,000 soldiers over the next two years.  According to the plans released by the Army, Schofield Barracks will shrink by 1,214 soldiers—from 15,687 soldiers to 14,473 soldiers—and Fort Shafter will shrink by 229 soldiers—from 2,233...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Dean Heller (R-NV) introduced the bipartisan All Students Count Amendment to the Every Child Achieves Act (ECAA). The Hirono-Heller amendment would better highlight the needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students by requiring school districts with more than 1,000...

HONOLULU – This afternoon, Senator Mazie K. Hirono was joined by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald and Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez at a Disabled Veterans Employment Roundtable at the Oahu Veterans Center in Honolulu to discuss issues key to Hawaii veterans. The two Obama administration cabinet members...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson announced substantial changes to immigrant detention practices regarding families, a positive response to calls by Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a fierce advocate for ensuring that family unity remains the guiding principle of our immigration system, to change our...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono celebrated the 43rd Anniversary of the passage of the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, commonly known as Title IX. “Forty-three years later, the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity Education Act, or Title IX, continues to open the door of opportunity and level the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Senator Mazie K. Hirono today voted to oppose the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). She joined Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Senator Jack Reed and colleagues in pushing for a responsible, bipartisan way to end the sequester. President Obama has issued a veto threat on this...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Hawaii Congressional Delegation praised the Department of Interior’s award of nearly $3 million in Japanese American Confinement Site grants, including two projects in Hawaii. These grants will support projects that will preserve confinement sites across Hawaii and tell the stories of Japanese Americans who...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono demanded an explanation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on their proposal to take funds from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund (FVEC) to pay for cost overruns at the mismanaged Denver VA project.   In a letter to VA Secretary Robert McDonald, which was also...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono and Senator Brian Schatz announced their recommendation to the White House of three Hawaii residents for consideration to fill the open U.S. District Court Judgeship for the District of Hawaii following Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway’s transition to a senior judge on November 6, 2015. The...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday on the Senate floor, Senator Mazie K. Hirono shared the heartbreaking story of Talia Williams, a five year old girl who died after months of abuse at the hands of her father and stepmother, to introduce “Talia’s Law” as an amendment to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. From...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) today announced the introduction of legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Filipino Veterans of World War II. They were joined in this effort by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Dean Heller (R-NV), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Senator Brian...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, Senator Mazie K. Hirono welcomed Hawaii businesses to Capitol Hill for the second annual Hawaii on the Hill Policy Summit. More than 50 representatives from businesses across Hawaii attended the Hawaii on the Hill Policy summit held in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center for policy discussions with officials from...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Senator Mazie K. Hirono will welcome Hawaii businesses to the U.S. Capitol for the second annual Hawaii on the Hill. Hawaii on the Hill is hosted by Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and consists of the Hawaii on the Hill Policy Summit and Taste of Hawaii on Capitol Hill reception. In 2014, 50 Hawaii businesses...