WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 -- Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release on Dec. 7, 2022: President Joseph R. Biden signed the Speak Out Act into law, legislation co-led by Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). This bipartisan, bicameral bill will limit the enforceability of non-disclosure agreements and non-disparagement agreements (NDAs) where a sexual harassment or sexual assault dispute arises and survivors wish to break their silence, and was also co  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced that the full U.S. House passed a package of oceans bills included in the annual National Defense Authorization Act that include his longtime efforts to conserve coral reefs, protect marine mammals and better understand marine ecosystems. "From warmer temperatures and acidification to nonpoint-source pollution, trash, overfishing and beyond, our oceans are on an unsustainable   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 -- Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release and letter: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, along with U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) are requesting $2.1 billion in Disaster Supplemental Funding to address the severe and ongoing supply shortage of electrical transformers and complementary grid security technologies  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release on Dec. 8, 2022: U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), today applauded House passage of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which included key provisions she secured as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), including $1 billion for the defueling and closure of Red Hill and nearly $800 million for other military infrastructure upgrades in Hawaii. The NDAA--which  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, introduced the Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2022. The legislation, led by Chairman Ben Cardin (D-MD), aims to reauthorize and improve the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) Program. "Small Business Development Centers provide mu  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release on Dec. 8, 2022: The Senate Democratic Caucus today voted to elevate U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) to Deputy Conference Secretary, a new position within the Senate Democratic leadership team. Schatz was nominated for the new role by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). In addition to the new leadership position, Schatz will retain his role as Chief Deputy Whip. "I'm honored to serve in this n  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: President Joe Biden signed the Safe Connections Act into law. The new law, authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), will help survivors of domestic violence and other crimes cut ties with their abusers and separate from shared wireless service plans, which can be exploited to monitor, stalk, or control victims. "Giving domestic violence abusers control over their victims' c  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Maryland, chairman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 1, 2022: U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D- Hawaii), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ed Markey (D- Mass.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today introduced the Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 202  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), vice chairman of the Committee, in cosponsoring the Durbin Feeling Native American Languages Act of 2021. This bipartisan legislation marks the 30th anniversary of the Native American Languages Act by ensuring federal  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: President Joe Biden signed the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act into law. The new law, authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), will expand research into marijuana-derived medications. The goal of the law is to facilitate research on marijuana and its potential health benefits. The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Res  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 -- Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, introduced the Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2022. The legislation, led by Chairman Ben Cardin (D-Md.), aims to reauthorize and improve the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) Progra  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced that the full U.S. House has approved the $847.3 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including his priorities relating to closing Red Hill, strengthening America's national defense in the Indo-Pacific and improving the Department of Defense's (DoD) relationship with the local community. The bill retains nine floor amendments introduced by C  more