#Sen. Brian Schatz

Kupu, Hawai‘i’s leading conservation and youth education organization, announced today that it received a grant of $1.75M from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led a group of eight senators in introducing the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act, legislation to expand federal paid leave to include 12 weeks of family and medical leave.

Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) said the new law will accelerate assistance to disaster stricken communities by reducing red tape, improving federal coordination, and supporting long-term resilience.

US Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawai‘i announced that the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation will receive $24 million in federal funding to rehabilitate and replace approximately six bridges within the Hāna Highway Historical District with modern, resilient structures.

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that the five Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems and Papa Ola Lōkahi, which coordinates health care programs and services for Native Hawaiians, will receive nearly $25 million in federal funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services.

US Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawai‘i, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, renewed calls to 15 museums and universities to promptly repatriate Native ancestral remains and cultural items to the communities they belong to and meet their obligations under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

The extension will keep the Native Hawaiian Education Program fully funded for current grant recipients for at least another year, which guarantees $46 million in federal funding secured by Schatz in Congress will continue to flow to the more than 60 early childhood education sites across Hawai‘i.

The need for general surgeons is especially high in rural and other under-served communities. In Hawai‘i, there is a 14% shortage in surgeons for the state overall. And on Hawai‘i Island, they have a 40% shortage, forcing many to travel off island to receive the care that they need.

Following a disturbing incident involving an alleged attack on a Hawaiian monk seal in Lahaina, US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, called on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to step up efforts to better educate the public on the need to protect Hawaiian monk seals, one of the most endangered seal species in the world.

US Sen. Brian Schatz conducted site visits on the Valley Isle on Wednesday, focused on the progress of recovery efforts on Maui, following the 2023 wildfires and recent Kona Low storms in March of this year.

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) spoke on the Senate floor about last month’s kona low storms which produced continuous flooding and resulted in widespread damage across Hawai‘i.

During an Appropriations Subcommittee oversight hearing on the US Department of Health and Human Services’ budget request, US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured a commitment from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to support Hawaiʻi’s recovery efforts following the kona low storms that caused flooding across the state.

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi) led a group of six senators in introducing the Guaranteeing and Upholding Americans’ Right to Decide Responsible AI Laws and Standards (GUARDRAILS) Act to repeal President Trump’s executive order seeking to prevent states from regulating artificial intelligence.

On Friday night, President Donald Trump announced the US Military began major combat operations in Iran in what is being called Operation Epic Fury. The announcement drew criticism from the Hawaiʻi Congressional delegation over lack of Congressional authorization.

US Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) introduced a resolution celebrating Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i, also known as Hawaiian Language Month.

US Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawai‘i secured $2 million in congressionally directed spending, also known as an earmark, in this year’s appropriations deal for construction of the new Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae homeless village. The funding will be used to construct water, sewer and road infrastructure for the permanent supportive site that will house 250 homeless individuals and provide wraparound services. 

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured $1.3 million in congressionally directed spending, also known as an earmark, in this year’s appropriations deal for ʻAha Pūnana Leo. The funding will be used to train teachers, support families, and develop new early childhood education Hawaiian language materials, such as books and videos, to help young children build literacy and math skills.

The US Senate passed a bipartisan funding bill that included a provision authored by US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that will extend telehealth access for Americans enrolled in Medicare through the end of 2027.

The funding includes $1.9 million for Hale Makua Health Services to purchase and replace nursing home beds; $1.2 million in funding to Maui County to support the first phase of an affordable housing development on Lānaʻi; and $1 million for Molokaʻi Airport to rehabilitate the runway and taxiways.

The original law enhances and integrates Native tourism, empowers Native communities, and expands unique cultural tourism opportunities in the United States. The bill passed by the US Senate in December, makes key updates to the existing law that will help improve the program and make it easier for Native communities to access federal resources.