WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) in introducing the Strengthening American Transportation Security Act of 2019, which would grant Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) the same workplace rights as all federal employees, including their colleagues in the Department of Homeland Security. "Thousands of TSA Agents work hard every day to keep American  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: Today, the U.S. Department Health & Human Services (HHS) announced that the West Hawai'i Community Health Center will receive a $1,060,398 grant to help low income families on Hawai'i Island access quality and comprehensive health care. "The West Hawai'i Community Health Center provides affordable and accessible health care services to thousands of people who might not otherwise receive care," said U.S. Sena  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 -- The U.S. Botanic Garden issued the following news release: This year's annual U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) holiday exhibit, Season's Greenings: America's Gardens, will open Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2019, and run through January 5, 2020. The exhibit caps off our year of celebrating the diversity and beauty of the more than 600 public gardens in the United States. Join us to explore botanic gardens from Hawaii to Maine in this year's holiday show! Twenty-four plant-bas  more

HONOLULU, Hawaii, Nov. 19 -- Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced his 2020 nominations to three of the United States military's service academies: the U.S. Military Academy (West Point/Army); U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis/Navy); and U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs/Air Force). "I take my responsibility to nominate deserving applicants from my district to our legendary service academies very seriously, and personally inte  more

HONOLULU, Hawaii, Nov. 21 -- Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * - His bipartisan measure would charge representative national commission with proposing budget balancing package for up-or-down Congressional vote * * * Congressman Ed Case, Democrat from Hawai'i, today introduced a bill to confront what he calls a "federal fiscal house that is seriously out of order." Case said H.R. 5211, his proposed Sustainable Budget Act, will create a National Commission on Fi  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: Today, the House Judiciary Committee voted to pass H.R.3884, the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, which Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) introduced with Chair Jerry Nadler (NY-10). The bill passed with a bipartisan vote, 24-10, and now awaits consideration by the full House. "I've long been a champion for ending the federal marijuana prohibition, and today's vote on the MORE Act is  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- Rep. Ross Spano, R-Florida, issued the following news release: Today, Rep. Ross Spano (Florida-15) and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii-2) introduced the bipartisan TRICARE Fairness for National Guard and Reserve Retirees Act (H.R. 5169). The bill aligns the eligibility age for TRICARE Standard, Extra, and Prime with the age at which National Guard and Reserve personnel begin receiving their retired pay. "We have heavily relied upon our National Guard and Reserve personnel fo  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 -- Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: Today, Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), Lucy McBath (GA-06), and Jahana Hayes (CT-05) called on Congressional leaders to support a House vote on H.R. 4301, the School Shooting Safety and Preparedness Act. The bill would create a federal definition for "school shooting" and instructs the Department of Education, in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, to annually report unif  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: Today, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), along with Rep. Ross Spano (FL-15), introduced H.R.5169, the TRICARE Fairness for National Guard and Reserve Retirees Act. The legislation would ensure that retired members of the National Guard and Reserve personnel and their dependents receive the health care benefits to which they are entitled by aligning the eligibility age for TRICARE Standard, Extra, and Prime with th  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * - Bill Requires Federal Reserve To Take Action To Identify And Manage Climate-Related Financial Risks * * * Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), a member of the Senate Banking Committee and Chair of the Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, introduced the Climate Change Financial Risk Act of 2019. The legislation will direct the Federal Reserve ("Fed") to conduct stress   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * - Marine Corps Proposes Building 1,500-Foot Sea Wall, Threatening Public Beach * * * Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) called on the U.S. Marine Corps to listen to community concerns and further review the environmental impact of its plan to build a retaining wall on Ewa Beach. "It is incumbent that the Marine Corps explore long-term resilience benefits for the Pu'uloa Range Training Faci  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation Would Create A New Trust Fund To Help Close Digital Divide, Including For Use In Health Care and Education * * * Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced new legislation that would raise billions of dollars to improve public safety and broadband in rural areas, including for use in education and health care, through a pu  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * - Member Companies Publicly Claiming to Support Climate Action Have Remained Silent on Chamber's Anti-Climate Activities; U.S. Chamber of Commerce Members Set To Meet on Tuesday To Discuss Climate Policy * * * Today, ahead of a meeting at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce centered on climate policy, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) called on board members to explain t  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following statement on the death of U.S Army Chief Warrant Officer Two Kirk T. Fuchigami Jr.: "Chief Warrant Officer Two Kirk Fuchigami served our country with courage and distinction. "His death is a loss that will be felt across the Big Island and the state of Hawaii, and as a nation, we will always remember his sacrifice. "We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, family, and friends during this very difficult time. We onl  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 -- Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee cleared two Hirono-backed bills that would provide permanent full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and create a new fund to address the growing deferred maintenance backlog in the National Parks system. These bills can now be considered by the full Senate. "Over the past 50 years, the LWCF has provided nearly $250 million in funding  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * - In response to questioning from Senator Hirono, Director Kathleen Hawk Sawyer affirms Bureau of Prisons is working to re-open new RRC within the next several months * * * Senator Hirono secured a commitment from Kathleen Hawk Sawyer, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, to provide regular updates about the status of efforts to reopen a federal Residential Reentry Center (RRC) in Hawaii  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * - Schatz-Led Legislation To Expand Commissary Access To Military Heroes Was Signed Into Law Last Summer - DoD Readying Plans to Open Its Doors To Thousands More Hawai'i Veterans in 2020 * * * As a result of legislation authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, which was signed into law las  more