Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), in a letter signed by over 100 colleagues, urged President Biden to reverse inhumane immigration policies, such as Title 42 expulsions, originally introduced under the Trump Administration, that expel people needing protection under our asylum laws. The letter also requests more equitable...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Department of Defense considers options for the long-term strategic fuel reserve needs of the Indo Pacific region, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense urging the Department to focus on options that do not rely on Red Hill, given...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) highlighted the Red Hill water contamination crisis as she questioned Robert Storch, nominee to be Inspector General of the DoD, and Christopher Lowman, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment. Senator Hirono inquired...

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), along with other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is calling on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to provide information on the use of solitary confinement in ICE facilities. In a letter to Acting Director Tae Johnson, Hirono – joined by U.S. Senators...

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) released the following statement on Red Hill. A link to download a broadcast quality video of the Senator delivering the statement as prepared for delivery is available here.   “The people of Hawaii deserve a resolution to the Red Hill crisis as quickly as possible,...

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), applauded Senate passage of the bipartisan Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act. This legislation, which Senator Hirono is a co-sponsor of, prevents perpetrators from being able to push survivors of sexual harassment and assault into the secretive,...

(Washington, D.C.) — Senator Hirono joined six colleagues in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough to voice concerns about a Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General report highlighting failures within DoD to screen for and prevent suicide amongst...

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the Department of Defense’s (DoD) decision to appeal the Hawaii Department of Health Emergency Order on Red Hill:  “Yesterday evening, I had a conversation with Deputy Secretary of...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) released the following statement after a Hawaii Congressional delegation meeting with Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Admiral John Aquilino to discuss the Department of Defense’s plans for the future of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility: “As we continue...

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Hirono, member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after reports that Justice Stephen Breyer plans to announce his retirement from the Supreme Court: “Throughout his 27 years of service on the Supreme Court, Justice Stephen Breyer has been a steadfast champion...

(Washington, D.C.) — Today, Senator Hirono, along with more than 190 congressional Democrats, submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a case looking at the EPA’s ability to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions under the Clean Air Act (CAA). “In Hawaii, we...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) released the following statement after Republicans blocked the Senate from considering the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act: “The freedom to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy—without it, we don’t have one, it’s that simple. I never thought I’d see...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) delivered remarks on the Senate floor discussing the urgent need to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation. In her speech, Senator Hirono talked about how this MLK Jr. Day, instead of celebrating progress we’ve made in this country, we...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day: “Today, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day by honoring civil rights leaders who fought against inequality and sacrificed so much to move our country closer towards justice for all. “But this year, on a day when we...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced the Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act to ensure transparency and accountability for presidential exercise of the pardon power. The legislation allows Congress and...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) issued the following statement on the anniversary of the insurrection that took place on January 6th, 2021: “Today both the President and Vice President spoke forcefully about January 6, 2021: a procedural day to signify the orderly and peaceful transfer of Presidential power...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (D-Hawaii) and Kaiali‘i Kahele (D-Hawaii) released the following statement applauding the Department of Defense Inspector General (DOD IG) for announcing their intent to open an evaluation into the operation, maintenance,...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (D-Hawai‘i) and Kaiali‘i Kahele (D-Hawai‘i) today called on congressional leaders for their immediate assistance in securing federal funding to respond to the water contamination crisis at the Red...

Sen Hirono: “It’s crystal clear by now that Republicans have absolutely no interest in protecting the right to vote. For Republicans, voter suppression and jerrymandering is their path to victory. Democrats cannot sit back and allow a political party to maintain power by denying Americans their right to vote.” Sen: Hirono:...

WASHINGTON —  U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) applauded the Senate Committee on Commerce’s unanimous passage of their Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2021 (S. 46). First introduced in August 2019, the bill would reauthorize and modernize the Coral...