Mazie Hirono

Mazie K. Hirono

Democratic Party

Candidate, U.S. Senate Hawaii

U.S. Senate Hawaii

Tenure

2013 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

11

Predecessor

Daniel Akaka

Prior offices

Hawaii House of Representatives

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Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii

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U.S. House Hawaii District 2

Successor: Tulsi Gabbard

Predecessor: Ed Case

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Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Net worth

$2,553,523

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 6, 2018

Next election

November 5, 2024

Bildung

High school

Kaimuki High School

Bachelor's

University of Hawaii, Manoa, 1970

Law

Georgetown University Law Center, 1978

Personal

Religion

Buddism

Profession

Attorney

Kontakt

Official website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Official YouTube

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from Hawaii. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.

Hirono (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent Hawaii. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. She advanced from the Democratic primary on August 10, 2024.

Hirono was first elected to office in 2012 by a margin of 25 points and was re-elected in 2018. Committees that Hirono serves on in the 116th Congress include the Armed Services and Judiciary committees.

She was previously a member of the U.S. House from 2007 to 2013, the lieutenant governor of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002, and a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1980 to 1994.

As of a 2014 analysis of multiple outside rankings, Hirono is an average Democratic member of Congress, meaning she will vote with the Democratic Party on the majority of bills.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Hirono's academic, professional, and political career:

• 2013-Present: U.S. Senator from Hawaii
• 2007-2013: United States House of Representatives, Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District
• 1994-2002: Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
• 1980-1994: Hawaii House of Representatives

Committee assignments

U.S. Senate

2023-2024

Hirono was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Senate Committee on Armed Services
• Subcommittee on Personnel
• Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Chairman
• Subcommittee on Seapower
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
• Energy, Chair
• National Parks
• Public Lands, Forests, and Mining
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
• Committee on the Judiciary
• Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights
• Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights
• Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety

2021-2022

Hirono was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on the Judiciary
• Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety
• Subcommittee on Intellectual Property
• Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights
• Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law
• Senate Committee on Armed Services
• Personnel
• Readiness and Management Support
• Seapower, Chair
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
• Energy, Chair
• National Parks
• Public Lands, Forests, and Mining

2019-2020

Hirono was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
• Senate Committee on Armed Services
• Committee on the Judiciary
• Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Hirono was assigned to the following committees:

• Committee on Armed Services
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
• Committee on the Judiciary
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs

2015-2016

Hirono served on the following committees:

• Armed Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on Airland
  • Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
  • Subcommittee on Seapower, Ranking Member
• Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  • Subcommittee on Energy
  • Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining
  • Subcommittee on Water & Power, Ranking Member
• Select Committee on Intelligence
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
• Veterans' Affairs Committee

2013-2014

Hirono served on the following Senate committees:

• Armed Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on SeaPower
  • Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
  • Subcommittee on Personnel
• Judiciary Committee
  • Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law
  • Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security
  • Subcommittee on The Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights
• Veterans' Affairs Committee

U.S. House

2011-2012

• United States House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce
  • Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
• United States House of Representatives Committee on Ethics
• United States House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023

The 118th United States Congress began on January 3, 2023, at which point Republicans held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-212), and Democrats held the majority in the U.S. Senate (51-49). Joe Biden (D) was the president and Kamala Harris (D) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 22, 2023, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2024. The bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (87-13)
Yea	Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024   The Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (H.R. 6363) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 17, 2023, providing for the funding of federal agencies through January 19, 2024. The bill prevented a government shutdown that would have taken place if funding was not approved by November 17, 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate.	Passed (87-11)
Yea	Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act   The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 5860) was a bill approved by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2023, providing for the funding of federal agencies through November 17, 2023. The bill prevented a government shutdown that would have taken place if funding was not approved by October 1, 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate.	Passed (88-9)
Yea	Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023   The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 3, 2023. The bill raised the federal debt limit until January 2025. The bill also capped non-defense spending in fiscal year 2024, rescinded unspent coronavirus relief funding, rescinded some Internal Revenue Service (IRS) funding, enhanced work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF), simplified environmental reviews for energy projects, and ended the student loan debt repayment pause in August 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more.	Passed (63-36)
Nay	Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.   H.J.Res. 7 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 10, 2023. The resolution ended the national coronavirus state of emergency, which began on March 13, 2020. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more.	Passed (68-23)
Nay	Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces'".   H.J.Res. 44 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces'".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate. The bill sought to nullify a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) rule establishing criteria to determine whether firearms equipped with stabilizing braces that facilitate shoulder fire were subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate.	Failed (50-49)
Nay	Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".   H.J.Res. 30 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and vetoed by President Joe Biden (D) on March 20, 2023. This was Biden's first veto of his presidency. The resolution sought to nullify a Department of Labor rule that amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow retirement plans to consider certain environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors in investment-related decisions. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more.	Passed (50-46)

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023 The 117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and the U.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia. Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023 Vote Bill and description Status Yea Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act   The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) was a federal infrastructure bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 15, 2021. Among other provisions, the bill provided funding for new infrastructure projects and reauthorizations, Amtrak maintenance and development, bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, clean drinking water, high-speed internet, and clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Click here to read more. Passed (69-30) Yea American Rescue Plan Act of 2021   The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key features of the bill included funding for a national vaccination program and response, funding to safely reopen schools, distribution of $1,400 per person in relief payments, and extended unemployment benefits. The bill required a 1/2 majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more. Passed (50-49) Yea Inflation Reduction Act of 2022   The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 16, 2022, to address climate change, healthcare costs, and tax enforcement. Key features of the bill included a $369 billion investment to address energy security and climate change, an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, a 15% corporate minimum tax, a 1% stock buyback fee, and enhanced Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement, and an estimated $300 billion deficit reduction from 2022-2031. The bill required a 1/2 majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more. Passed (51-50) Yea National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. 1605) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 27, 2021, authorizing Department of Defense acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (88-11) Yea James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023   The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2023. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (83-11) Yea Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022   The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (S. 3373) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 10, 2022, that sought to address healthcare access, the presumption of service-connection, and research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (86-11) Yea Chips and Science Act   The Chips and Science Act (H.R. 4346) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 9, 2022, which sought to fund domestic production of semiconductors and authorized various federal science agency programs and activities. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (64-33) Yea Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021   The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill proposed prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services and prohibiting governments from issuing some other abortion-related restrictions. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Failed (46-48) Yea Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 15, 2022, providing for the funding of federal agencies for the remainder of 2022, providing funding for activities related to Ukraine, and modifying or establishing various programs. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (68-31) Yea Respect for Marriage Act   The Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 13, 2022. The bill codified the recognition of marriages between individuals of the same sex and of different races, ethnicities, or national origins, and provided that the law would not impact religious liberty or conscience protections, or provide grounds to compel nonprofit religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Click here to read more. Passed (61-36) Yea Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023   The Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2022. It provided for some fiscal year 2023 appropriations, supplemental funds for Ukraine, and extended several other programs and authorities. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (72-25) Yea COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act   The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act (S. 937) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on May 20, 2021, that included provisions to designate an officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate expedited review of hate crimes, required the DOJ to issue guidance to law enforcement agencies aimed to establish online hate crime reporting processes and to raise awareness about hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and established state grants to create hate crime reporting hotlines, among other related provisions. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (94-1) Yea Postal Service Reform Act of 2022   The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (H.R. 3076) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 6, 2022, that sought to address healthcare and retirement benefits for postal workers, allow USPS to provide certain nonpostal products and services, and expand service performance and budgetary reporting. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Passed (79-19) Yea Bipartisan Safer Communities Act   The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938) was a firearm regulation and mental health bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 25, 2022. Provisions of the bill included expanding background checks for individuals under the age of 21, providing funding for mental health services, preventing individuals who had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years, providing funding for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, and providing funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Click here to read more. Passed (65-33) Yea Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act   The Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (H.R. 5305) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2021, that provided for continuing fiscal year 2022 appropriations to federal agencies through December 3, 2021, in order to prevent a government shutdown that would have otherwise occurred if fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills had not been passed by October 1, 2021. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate. Passed (65-35) Guilty Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth an article of impeachment saying that Donald Trump (R) incited an insurrection against the government of the United States on January 6, 2021. The House of Representatives approved the article of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of the charges. Conviction on the impeachment charges required a 2/3 majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more. Not guilty (57-43) Yea Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022   The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 (H.R. 350) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to expand the availability and reporting of information about domestic terrorism, enhance the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) ability to prosecute domestic terrorism, among other things. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Failed (47-47) Yea A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2022 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023 through 2031.   This concurrent resolution (S.Con.Res. 14) was a budget resolution passed by the 117th Congress outlining the fiscal year 2022 federal government budget, setting forth budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023-2031, and providing reconciliation instructions for legislation that increased the deficit. It contained a proposed framework for the Build Back Better Act. The resolution required 1/2 majority vote in the Senate. Click here to read more. Passed (50-49) Yea Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act   The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act was a federal elections bill approved by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to, among other provisions, make Election Day a public holiday, allow for same-day voter registration, establish minimum early voting periods, and allow absentee voting for any reason, restrict the removal of local election administrators in federal elections, regulate congressional redistricting, expand campaign finance disclosure rules for some organizations, and amend the Voting Rights Act to require some states to obtain clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing new election laws. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage. Click here to read more. Failed (49-51) Yea Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022   The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act was a bill passed by the 117th Congress in the form of an amendment to a year-end omnibus funding bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022. The bill changed the procedure for counting electoral votes outlined in the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Elements of the bill included specifying that the vice president's role at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes is ministerial, raising the objection threshold at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes to one-fifth of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying governors as the single official responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying that state’s electors, and providing for expedited judicial review of certain claims about states' certificates identifying their electors. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to concur in the House's version of the bill. Click here to read more. Passed (68-29) Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021 The 116th United States Congress began on January 9, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in the U.S. Senate (53-47). Donald Trump (R) was the president and Mike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia. Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021 Vote Bill and description Status Yea CARES Act   The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 27, 2020, that expanded benefits through the joint federal-state unemployment insurance program during the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation also included $1,200 payments to certain individuals, funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and funds for businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Passed (96-0) Yea National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (S. 1790) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, setting policies and appropriations for the Department of Defense. Key features of this bill include appropriations for research/development, procurement, military construction, and operation/maintenence, as well as policies for paid family leave, North Korea nuclear sanctions, limiting the use of criminal history in federal hiring and contracting, military housing privatization, and paid family leave for federal personnel. This bill required a simple majroity vote in the Senate. Passed (86-8) Yea Families First Coronavirus Response Act   The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 18, 2020, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing access to unemployment benefits and food assistance, increasing funding for Medicaid, providing free testing for COVID-19, and requiring employers to provide paid sick time to employees who cannot work due to COVID-19. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Passed (90-8) Yea Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020   The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for federal agencies in fiscal year 2020. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (71-23) Yea Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020   The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2020, providing emergency funding to federal agencies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Key features of the bill include funding for vaccine research, small business loans, humanitarian assistance to affected foreign countries, emergency preparedness, and grants for public health agencies and organizations. This bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Passed (96-1) Yea Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J.Res. 31) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on February 15, 2019, providing approrations for Fiscal Year 2019. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (83-16) Yea John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act   The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S. 47) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Doanld Trump on March 12, 2019. This bill sought to set provisions for federal land management and conservation by doing things such as conducting land exchanges and conveyances, establishing programs to respond to wildfires, and extending and reauthorizing wildlife conservation programs. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (92-8) Yea William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (passage)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote to overcome the veto. Passed (84-13) Yea William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (overcoming veto)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote to overcome the veto. Passed (81-13) Nay Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act of 2019   The Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act of 2019 (S. 1) is a bill approved by the Senate that sought to address security in certain Middle Eastern countries by sending resources to Israel, extending defense cooperation in Jordan, establishing sanctions related to the conflict in Syria, and allowing states to divest from entities boycotting Israel. The bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (77-23) Yea Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act   The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 8337) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on October 1st, 2020, continuing appropriations to federal agencies for Fiscal Year 2021 as well as extending certain expiring programs that address issues such as health care, surface transportation, agriculture, and veterans benefits. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (84-10) Yea Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1158) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for the 2020 Fiscal Year for federal agencies. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (81-11) Yea Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Further Health Extenders Act of 2019   The Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Further Health Extenders Act of 2019 (H.R. 3055) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations to federal agencies through December 20, 2019 and extending certain programs and authorites that were set to expire. This bill prevented a government shutdown, and provided a pay raise for the military, repealed a revocation of state highway funding, and modified the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. Passed (74-20) Yea Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act   The Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act (H.R. 1327) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 29, 2019, providing funds for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. Key features of the bill included allowing claims to be filed until October 2090, removing the cap on noneconomic damages in certain circumstances, and periodically adjusting the annual limit on economic loss compensation for inflation. This bill required a simple majority vote from the Senate. Passed (97-2) Guilty Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (article 1)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry.The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. Conviction on the impeachment charges required a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. Not Guilty (52-48) Guilty Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (article 2)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry.The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. Conviction on the impeachment charges required a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate. Not Guilty (53-47) Yea United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act   The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (H.R. 5430) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on October 21, 2020, establishing a trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada meant to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by establishing provisions such as labor and environment monitoring and enforcement, de minimis levels for U.S. exports, and cooperation among treaty members to prevent duty evasion. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (89-10) Yea Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act   The Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (S. 151) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 30, 2019, setting forth rules to reduce criminal robot calls. Some key featues of the bill included requiring voice service providers to develop call authentication technologies, creating rules to protect a subscriber from receiving unwanted calls or texts from a caller using an unauthenticated number, and protecting individuals from one-ring scams. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (97-1) Nay Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019   The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019 (H.R. 3401) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on July 1, 2019, providing emergency approprations for humanitarian assistance and security to respond to people attempting to enter the United States at the southern border. This bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate. Passed (84-8) Yea Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019   The Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019 (H.R. 2157) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on June 6, 2019, providing approprations to certain federal departments in order to address expenses incured by recent natural disasters. This bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (85-8) Yea Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019.   H.J.Res.46 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019.) was a resolution passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump (R). This resolution sought to terminate the national emergency related to the U.S.-Mexico border, declared by President Trump on February 15, 2019. The bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate. Passed (59-41) Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018 For detailed information about each vote, click here. Votes on domestic policy (click to expand) Voted Yea on: First Step Act of 2018 (S 756)  Motion Agreed to (87-12) on December 18, 2018 Proposed making changes to the criminal justice system. Voted Yea on: Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (HR 2)  Conference Report Agreed to (87-13) on December 11, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023. Voted Nay on: "Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States" (PN2259)  Nomination Confirmed (50-48) on October 6, 2018 Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Voted Nay on: "Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States" (PN2259)  Cloture Motion Agreed to (51-49) on October 5, 2018 Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)  Bill Passed (86-11, 3/5 majority required) on June 28, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. Voted Nay on: Immigration reform proposal from Sen. Chuck Grassley and the Trump administration (S Amdt 1959 to HR 2579)  Cloture Motion Rejected (39-60, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018 Proposed providing a path to citizenship for 1.8 million individuals brought into the U.S. without legal permission as children, $25 billion for border security, limits on chain migration or family-based migration, and eliminating the visa lottery system. Voted Yea on: Immigration reform proposal from the Common Sense Coalition (S Amdt 1958 to HR 2579)  Cloture Motion Rejected (54-45, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018 Proposed providing a path to citizenship for individuals brought into the U.S. without legal permission as children, $25 billion for border security, and limitations on chain or family-based immigration. Voted Nay on: Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act amendment (S Amdt 1948 to S Amdt 1959)  Cloture Motion Rejected (54-45, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018 Proposed withholding funding from sanctuary jurisdictions for not cooperating with federal immigration officials. Voted Yea on: Coons-McCain immigration plan (S Amdt 1955 to S Amdt 1958)  Cloture Motion Rejected (52-47, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018 Proposed providing a path to citizenship for individuals brought into the U.S. without legal permission as children and conducting a study to determine what border security measures were needed. It also proposed requiring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to secure the U.S.-Mexico border by 2021. Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (S 2311)  Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected (51-46, 3/5 majority required) on January 29, 2018 Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill proposed providing exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. Voted Nay on: An amendment to repeal the requirements for individuals to enroll in health insurance and for employers to offer it—"Skinny bill" (S Amdt 667 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628 the American Health Care Act of 2017)  Amendment Rejected (49-51) on July 28, 2017 The amendment proposed repealing the requirements for individuals to enroll in health insurance and for employers to offer it. Voted Nay on: An amendment to repeal the ACA, including Paul amendment (No. 271) (S Amdt 271 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628)  Amendment Rejected (45-55) on July 26, 2017 An amendment to repeal the ACA, including Paul amendment (No. 271) Voted Nay on: Motion to advance the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, including Cruz and Portman amendments (S Amdt 270 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628)  Motion Rejected (43-57, 3/5 majority required) on July 25, 2017 A procedural vote to advance the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA), including the Cruz and Portman amendments. Voted Nay on: Motion to begin debate on the American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)  Motion to Proceed Agreed to (50-50, Vice President voted Yea) on July 25, 2017 Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to title II of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017. Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(4)—confirmation vote)  Nomination Confirmed (54-45) on April 7, 2017 Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—confirmation vote. Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(3))  Cloture Motion Agreed to (55-45) on April 6, 2017 Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—second vote to end debate and move to a vote on Gorsuch's nomination under the new precedent requiring only a simple majority to pass. Voted Yea on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(2))  Decision of Chair Not Sustained (48-52) on April 6, 2017 Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—a vote to keep the Senate precedent of requiring 60 votes to close debate on Supreme Court nominations. Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55)  Cloture Motion Rejected (55-45, 3/5 majority required) on April 6, 2017 Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—initial vote to end debate and move to a vote on Gorsuch's nomination. Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand) Voted Yea on: "Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 6157)  Conference Report Agreed to (93-7) on September 18, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Voted Yea on: "Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 5895)  Conference Report Agreed to (92-5) on September 12, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Did not vote on: "Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 6157)  Bill Passed (85-7) on August 23, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Voted Yea on: "Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 5895)  Bill Passed (86-5) on June 25, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)  Motion Agreed to (65-32) on March 23, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes. Voted Nay on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)  Motion Agreed to (71-28) on February 9, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through March 23, 2018 Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)  Cloture Motion Rejected (55-44, 3/5 majority required) on February 8, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195)  Motion Agreed to (81-18) on January 22, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195)  Cloture Motion Agreed to (81-18, 3/5 majority required) on January 22, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195)  Cloture Motion Rejected (50-49, 3/5 majority required) on January 19, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)  Motion Agreed to (66-32, 3/5 majority required) on December 21, 2017 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018. Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Motion Agreed to (51-48) on December 20, 2017 Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018 and proposed changes to the tax code. Voted Nay on: "A joint resolution making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes." (HJ Res 123)  Joint Resolution Passed (81-14) on December 7, 2017 Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017. Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Bill Passed (51-49) on December 2, 2017 Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses. Voted Nay on: A concurrent resolution establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)  Concurrent Resolution Agreed to (51-49) on October 19, 2017 Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)  Motion Agreed to (80-17) on September 7, 2017 Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts. Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)  Motion Agreed to (79-18) on May 4, 2017 The $1.2 trillion budget bill proposed funding the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017. Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand) Voted Yea on: "A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress." (SJ Res 54)  Joint Resolution Passed (56-41) on December 13, 2018 Proposed removing United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that were not authorized by Congress. Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)  Bill Passed (89-8) on September 18, 2017 Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, and to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. On November 15, 2017, the Senate passed the defense policy bill by voice vote. This bill was the result of compromises made in the conference report. For more information on the compromise bill, click here. Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)  Bill Passed (98-2) on July 27, 2017 Proposed providing congressional review and proposed countering aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017 (S 722)  Bill Passed (98-2) on June 15, 2017 Proposed providing congressional review and proposed countering aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes. 114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. The Senate confirmed 18,117 out of 21,815 executive nominations received (83 percent). For more information pertaining to Hirono's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). TPA, also known as fast track authority, allows the president to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended by Congress. Congress casts a simple up or down vote on a trade agreement, and the legislation only requires a simple majority for approval. The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Hirono voted with 30 other Democratic senators against the bill. Trade promotion authority On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Hirono was one of 31 Democrats to vote against the bill. After, Senate Republican leadership honored a pledge to support trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by passing the measure as part of HR 1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 by voice vote. The House passed HR 1295 the following day, on June 25, 2015, and both TPA and TAA were signed into law on June 29, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On May 5, 2015, the Senate voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 51-48. The non-binding resolution will be used to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government before funding runs out on October 1, 2015. The vote marked the first time since 2009 that Congress approved a joint budget resolution. All 44 Democrats, including Hirono, voted against the resolution. Defense spending authorization On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed S 1356 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 91-3. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included "$5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget" and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Hirono voted with 41 Democrats, 48 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill. On November 5, 2015, the House passed the bill by a vote of 370-58, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. On June 18, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1735 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 71-25. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Hirono voted with 21 Democrats, two Republicans and one Independent against the bill. The House passed the bill on May 15, 2015. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. 2015 budget On October 30, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 by a vote of 64-35. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Hirono voted with 43 Democrats, 18 Republicans and two independents in favor of the bill. It passed the House on October 28, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 7, 2015, the Senate voted to approve HR 1191 - A bill to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes, by a vote of 98-1. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. All 43 Democratic senators who voted, including Hirono, approved the bill. Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 On September 10, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 58-42. Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Hirono voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval. Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 follow up votes On September 15, 2015, the Senate voted for a second time to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 56-42. Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Hirono voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval. The legislation was voted on for a third time on September 17, and it failed for a third time by a vote of 56-42. Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 fourth vote On September 17, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster a vote on S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640 by a vote of 53-45. The amendment proposed prohibiting "the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran." Hirono voted with 42 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the amendment. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On June 2, 2015, the Senate passed HR 2048 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 by a vote of 67-32. The legislation revised HR 3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 by terminating the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Hirono voted with 42 Democrats, 23 Republicans and one Independent to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Cyber security On October 27, 2015, the Senate passed S 754 - the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 by a vote of 74-21. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Hirono voted with 29 Democrats, 43 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill. Immigration On October 20, 2015, the Senate voted against proceeding to a vote on S 2146 - the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act by a vote of 54-45. The bill proposed withholding federal funding from "sanctuary jurisdictions" that violate the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and other federal immigration laws. In addition, the bill proposed increasing "penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after being removed" and providing "liability protection for State and local law enforcement who cooperate with Federal law enforcement." Hirono voted with 41 Democrats, one Republican and two Independents against proceeding to the bill. 113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. The Senate confirmed 13,949 out of 18,323 executive nominations received (76.1 percent). For more information pertaining to Hirono's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security John Brennan CIA nomination Hirono voted for the confirmation of John Brennan as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate on March 7, 2013, with a vote of 63 - 34. Most Democrats supported the nomination, while Republicans were somewhat divided with roughly one-third supporting the nomination. Economy Farm bill On February 4, 2014, the Democratic controlled Senate approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill. It passed the Senate with a vote of 68-32. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that will kick in if or when prices drop; however, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Hirono joined with 46 other Democratic senators in favor of the bill. 2014 Budget On January 16, 2014, the Democratic-controlled Senate approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The Senate voted 72-26 for the 1,582 page bill, with 17 Republicans and 55 Democrats voting in favor of the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency and left the Affordable Care Act without any drastic cuts. Hirono voted with the Democratic Party in favor of the bill. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 During the shutdown in October 2013, the Senate rejected, down party lines, every House-originated bill that stripped the budget of funding for the Affordable Care Act. A deal was reached late on October 16, 2013, just hours before the debt ceiling deadline. The bill to reopen the government, H.R. 2775, lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The final vote on H.R. 2775 was 81-18, with all 18 votes against the bill from Republican members. Hirono voted with the Democratic Party for the bill. No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Hirono voted for H.R.325 -- No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013. The bill passed the Senate on January 31, 2013, with a vote of 64 - 34. The purpose of the bill was to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and withhold the pay of members of Congress until a budget could be passed. The vote largely followed party lines with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting it and many Republicans in opposition to the bill. Immigration Mexico-U.S. border Hirono voted against Senate Amendment 1197 -- Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border. The amendment was rejected by the Senate on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 39 - 54. The purpose of the amendment was to require the completion of 350 miles of fence described in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 before registered provisional immigrant status may be granted. It would also require 700 miles of fence be completed before the status of registered provisional immigrants may be changed to permanent resident status. The vote followed party lines. Social issues Violence Against Women (2013) Hirono voted for S.47 -- Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill was passed by the Senate on February 12, 2013, with a vote of 78 - 22. The purpose of the bill was to combat violence against women, from domestic violence to international trafficking in persons. All 22 dissenting votes were cast by Republicans. Previous congressional sessions Fiscal Cliff Hirono voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. She was 1 of 172 Democrats that voted in favor of the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Elections

2024

See also: United States Senate election in Hawaii, 2024

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Hawaii

Incumbent Mazie K. Hirono, Bob McDermott, Emma Pohlman, and Shelby Billionaire are running in the general election for U.S. Senate Hawaii on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Mazie K. Hirono (D)
		Bob McDermott (R)
		Emma Pohlman (G)
		Shelby Billionaire (We the People)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii

Incumbent Mazie K. Hirono defeated Ron Curtis and Clyde McClain Lewman in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 10, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mazie K. Hirono	90.6	161,812
		Ron Curtis	7.2	12,935
		Clyde McClain Lewman	2.1	3,803

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source	Total votes: 178,550
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 10, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob McDermott	52.3	24,800
		Adriel Lam	15.9	7,544
		Melba Amaral	13.9	6,592
		Paul Dolan	7.7	3,640
		Arturo Reyes	6.3	2,991
		Emmanuel Tipon	3.9	1,856

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	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 47,423
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Harry Friel, Jr. (R)
• Keith Drummond Lambert (R)
• Ku Lono Cuadra (R)
• Lester Fung (R)
• Walter Kupau Jr. (R)
• Eddie Pirkowski (R)
• Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (R)

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii

No candidate advanced from the primary.

		Candidate	%	Votes
		John Giuffre	100.0	963

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Vote totals may be incomplete for this race.
	There were no incumbents in this race. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 963
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Link El

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Dan Decker (Aloha Aina Party)

Green primary election

Green primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii

Emma Pohlman advanced from the Green primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 10, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Emma Pohlman	100.0	1,332

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	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 1,332
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jennifer Booker (G)

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Aaron Toman (L)

We the People primary election

We the People primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii

Shelby Billionaire advanced from the We the People primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 10, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Shelby Billionaire	100.0	966

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	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 966
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

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2018

See also: United States Senate election in Hawaii, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Hawaii

Incumbent Mazie K. Hirono defeated Ron Curtis in the general election for U.S. Senate Hawaii on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mazie K. Hirono (D)	71.2	276,316
		Ron Curtis (R)	28.8	112,035

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 388,351 (100.00% precincts reporting)
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii

Incumbent Mazie K. Hirono advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 11, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mazie K. Hirono	100.0	201,604

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 201,604
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii on August 11, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ron Curtis	23.7	6,370
		Consuelo Anderson	19.3	5,166
		Robert Helsham	14.9	3,988
		Thomas E. White	13.6	3,657
		Roque De La Fuente	11.4	3,060
		George Berish	6.2	1,658
		Michael Hodgkiss	5.9	1,575
		Eddie Pirkowski	5.1	1,357

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 26,831
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate Hawaii

No candidate advanced from the primary.

		Candidate	%	Votes
		Arturo Reyes	38.0	441
		Charles Haverty	35.9	416
		Matthew Maertens	26.1	303

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Vote totals may be incomplete for this race.
	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,160
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Endorsements

Hirono was endorsed by The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

2012

See also: United States Senate elections in Hawaii, 2012

Hirono won election to the U.S. Senate in 2012. Primary elections were held on August 11, 2012. Hirono defeated Linda Lingle (R), James Brewer, Jr. (G), Heath Beasley (I) and Paul Manner in the general election on November 6, 2012.

U.S. Senate, Hawaii General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Mazie Hirono	61.7%	269,489
	Republican	Linda Lingle	36.8%	160,994
	K.A.	Blank Votes	1.5%	6,599
Total Votes				437,082
Source: Hawaii Office of Elections "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

Endorsements

In a rare cross-party endorsement, Hirono received the endorsement of Alaskan Republican Representative Don Young on July 24, 2012, for her primary battle. The two created a 90 second video that discussed bipartisanship and Young endorsed Hirono for U.S. Senate.

Republican candidate Linda Lingle responded to the surprise endorsement, critcizing Young as "controversial" and alluding to his past ethics issues.

Hirono also received an endorsement from Lingle's opponent in the Republican primary, John Carroll. In his endorsement he stated “So, my decision on whom to support is based on my perception of the candidate’s character and sincerity to help Hawaii. Of the two [Lingle and Hirono], I believe Mazie is predictable on issues and is of good and honest character, similar to Senator Daniel Akaka.”

Young came back to endorse Lingle in the general election.

2010

On November 2, 2010, Mazie K. Hirono won re-election to the United States House. She defeated John W. Willoughby (R), Pat Brock (L) and Andrew Vsevolod Von Sonn (nonpartisan) in the general election.

U.S. House, Hawaii District 2 General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Mazie K. Hirono incumbent	72.2%	132,290
	Republican	John W. Willoughby	25.3%	46,404
	Libertarian	Pat Brock	1.8%	3,254
	Nonpartisan	Andrew Vsevolod Von Sonn	0.7%	1,310
Total Votes				183,258

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

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2018

Hirono’s campaign website stated the following:

"	Seniors Growing up in a multigenerational household, Mazie knows firsthand the importance of respecting and caring for our kupuna. She has carried those values with her to the Senate, where she’s worked to make sure we keep the promises we’ve made to our seniors. Mazie knows that Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are a lifeline for millions of seniors in Hawaii and across the country. She has fought against every attempt to privatize, voucherize, or place a cap on funding for Medicare and has spoken out against Republican efforts to use the program as a political pawn. In the Senate, she pushed back against Republican attempts to balance the budget on the backs of our kupuna by gutting Social Security. At a time when too many seniors are struggling to make ends meet, Mazie is fighting to expand Social Security, introducing legislation like the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act, which would “scrap the cap” and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share to keep Social Security strong for all. Her bill would also extend the life of Social Security and ensure our seniors’ incomes stay ahead of rising costs. Like many in Hawaii who are caregivers for elderly parents or grandparents, Mazie understands from firsthand experience that it is critical that our kupuna have access to the prescription medicine and care that they need. She supports legislation to lower skyrocketing drug costs for seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D, and introduced bipartisan legislation to expand access to shingles vaccinations. She was proud to co-sponsor the Older Americans Act Reauthorization of 2016 – signed into law by President Obama – which renewed and expanded critical federal programs that provided nutrition assistance; caregiver support; senior centers; transportation; and other resources that help seniors. She has also fought against the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate the Corporation for National and Community Service, which funds the Senior Corps program to give seniors in Hawaii and nationwide the opportunity to continue to serve their communities. Health Care Mazie believes that health care is a right – not a privilege – and knows firsthand how much access to quality, affordable health care means to Hawaii’s families. Growing up, her family didn’t have health insurance until her mom was able to find a job that provided it. Her biggest fear was that her mom, the family’s sole breadwinner, would get sick – and getting sick meant no pay. Running low on money for food and rent at the end of the month was not uncommon. Beyond her experiences growing up, Mazie understands personally that we are all only one diagnosis away from a major illness. In 2017, after a routine physical before eye surgery, her doctors discovered an abnormality on her chest x-ray. This was later diagnosed as kidney cancer. Because she had health insurance, Mazie was able to receive the care she needed without worrying if she would be able to afford it. Mazie believes we should all have accessible and affordable health care. No family should be faced with financial ruin when they are battling a major illness. For this reason, Mazie is a co-sponsor of Senator Bernie Sanders’ (D-VT) Medicare For All Act to create a universal, single-payer health care system for everyone in our country. While we work to provide health care for all as a right and not a privilege, Mazie will continue to fight to expand access to quality, affordable health care – including fighting to restore Medicaid eligibility for Compact of Free Association (COFA) citizens. As a member of the U.S. House, she worked to pass the Affordable Care Act while helping preserve Hawaii’s Prepaid Health Care law, which has contributed to Hawaii having one of the highest rates of insurance coverage in the nation. She will continue to fight to expand Medicaid, defend the Children’s Health Insurance Program, protect Medicare, and fund community health centers. To further help seniors with skyrocketing costs, she is a co-sponsor of legislation to help bring down prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies. Mazie has been a passionate advocate for those health- and health care-related challenges that are unique to Hawaii, like ensuring federal funding for Hansen’s disease patients and protecting funding for Native Hawaiian health programs. Throughout her time in public service, Mazie has been a proponent of robust reproductive and maternal health care; fair contraceptive coverage; and safe, legal abortion options for women. While she recognizes there are deeply held beliefs on both sides of the issue, she believes that a woman’s right to choose is a fundamental, constitutionally-protected right that she will continue to fight to preserve. Health insurance is only one piece of our health care puzzle. Mazie has been an advocate for resources to expand and promote Hawaii’s health care workforce so that we have the quality doctors and nurses our communities need. She has successfully fought to improve access to services for Hawaii’s veterans by securing leases for new clinics across the state. She has also been a strong advocate for providing stable, robust federal funding for biomedical research. Veterans Hawaii’s veterans and military families have made countless sacrifices for our nation, and Mazie is fighting to ensure they receive the benefits and care they have earned. As a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committees, she has championed legislation to expand access to health services, end veteran homelessness, and honor veterans whose service has gone unrecognized for too many years. We made our veterans a promise to take care of them when they return home. In the Senate, Mazie has listened to veterans across the state and fought to hold the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable when it mistreats or underserves our veterans. She developed a three-pronged Veterans Action Plan to outline her priorities in addressing the most pressing issues facing our veterans: the need for better access to services through communication and collaboration between veterans, their communities, and the VA; improving veterans’ transition to civilian life; and timely access to health care for veterans throughout all of the islands. Mazie has secured millions in funding to build new VA facilities and expand and enhance staffing at existing facilities in Hawaii. She has also worked to improve the process of receiving care by co-sponsoring legislation to reform the claims appeals process. Mazie collaborated with colleagues across the aisle to expand telehealth access for veterans, provide additional paid sick leave for veterans in federal service, and to fund a program to provide coverage for severely disabled veterans to receive adult day health services. She worked to eliminate a rule that had prevented veterans from being reimbursed for emergency care and to make sure that Native Hawaiian veterans will continue to have access to health care services through their community clinics. She has also successfully advocated for federal investments in new clinics for veterans throughout the state. Veterans are not immune to the struggle of homelessness. Mazie has been recognized as a national leader in the effort to reduce veteran homelessness, and has worked across the aisle to pass legislation to extend critical programs aimed at providing tools and resources to the organizations in Hawaii dedicated to reducing homelessness among veterans. Mazie also recognizes that the transition from active military service to civilian life can be hard for veterans and their families. She has supported improvements to the Transition Assistance Program and co-sponsored the Forever GI Bill, which permanently expands access to educational resources for Hawaii’s veterans. She has also worked to cut red tape for veterans and their families so they can quickly and easily receive the benefits they have earned. Often overlooked in our nation’s history are veterans from other nations who answered America’s call-to-arms and fought under the American flag. In World War II, that included more than 250,000 Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers. In the Senate, Mazie worked with the Hawaii Congressional delegation to honor the sacrifice of these men and their families by securing the Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino veterans of World War II. She also worked extensively on reuniting these veterans with their families living overseas, and authored legislation to keep the VA in Manila open, providing vital health services to thousands of beneficiaries in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. Bildung Mazie knows firsthand how important a quality education is for our keiki. When she came to the United States from Japan as a child, she learned to speak English in Hawaii’s public schools. Mazie went on to graduate from Kaimuki High School and the University of Hawaii, becoming the first in her family to attend college. Mazie recognizes the challenge of college affordability, having paid for her undergraduate and law school educations through a combination of working and student loans. Because of her understanding of how impactful early education can be for our keiki, Mazie has worked continuously for its protection and is nationally recognized for her leadership in advocating for universal Pre-K. She has introduced legislation to expand Pre-K in Hawaii and across the U.S. through federal-state partnerships. She has also spoken out against cuts to early education funding, and helped facilitate grants to expand early childhood education for Native Hawaiians. In addition to expanding access to early education, Mazie supports increasing grant funding for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for Native Hawaiians and other minorities, and worked with her colleagues from Hawaii to reauthorize the Native Hawaiian Education Act, which funds Native Hawaiian education programs across the state. The reauthorization was included as part of the 2015 Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization Act. Skyrocketing college tuition has put higher education out of reach for many families. Mazie has teamed up with some of Congress’s biggest education champions, including Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), to tackle the issue of college affordability by introducing the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act. This bill would help ensure that Pell Grants can keep up with the cost of college, and that families can rely on their Pell Grant support for their entire higher education journey. She also successfully championed a provision to restore year-round Pell Grants to help students who are taking summer and winter classes. She was an original co-sponsor of Senator Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act, aimed at providing relief for students struggling under the weight of their loans, and has been a longtime supporter of legislation to allow student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy. Mazie recognizes that Hawaii’s future economy relies on creating good-paying jobs, and ensuring that we retain the homegrown talent of our island students, especially through increasing opportunities for women and minorities in the STEM fields. Mazie brought the Senate Small Business Committee to Maui in 2016 to share what federal agencies are doing to support STEM education, and to make sure that federal decision makers heard directly from Hawaii’s educators, students, and others about their needs and successes. She has led on these issues by authoring the STEM Booster Act, which would provide resources for promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM fields through mentoring, internships, and other outreach to underrepresented communities. In 2015, Mazie successfully included provisions of her STEM Opportunities Act in the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, which was signed into law by President Obama, to promote inclusion in the higher education STEM fields. Mazie also introduced the Patsy T. Mink Gender Equity in Education Act, which would provide states, universities, school districts and schools with more resources to implement Representative Patsy Mink’s landmark Title IX law, which promotes gender equity in educational opportunities. Economic Security When Mazie first arrived from Japan, her mother worked in low-wage positions with little job security. Being raised by a single mother, Mazie knows from firsthand experience what it is like for a family to live paycheck to paycheck and run short of money at the end of the month. She understands the importance of economic security and a strong middle class in order to provide for shared prosperity. Equal pay for equal work is the law, yet women are still paid less than their male counterparts for the same work. Mazie has co-sponsored the Equal Pay Act throughout her time in the Senate, which would prohibit discrimination in pay based on gender and provide legal avenues for those who have been discriminated against because of their gender. Mazie’s own experience growing up showed her that it’s important to give workers the tools they need to care for their loved ones, from keiki to kupuna. Hawaii is among the most expensive states for childcare and long-term care. Childcare is the second biggest expense for Hawaii families after housing costs. Mazie co-sponsored the Child Care for Working Families Act to increase access to affordable, high-quality childcare for all families. She has also co-sponsored the FAMILY Act, which would allow workers to take time away from work to recover from an illness or to care for family members without risking their jobs or financial security. Economic security also extends to making sure that all workers have the resources they need for retirement. Long-term care costs are another cause of stress for seniors and Hawaii families, and Mazie knows that providing economic security for our kupuna means we must protect and strengthen Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. That is why she has also introduced legislation that would provide states with resources to plan for and provide long-term care services in innovative ways that meet the unique needs of local communities. One of the best ways to care for seniors is to allow them to age in place, but in order for this to happen we must come up with new and innovative ways to provide the services and care they need. Mazie also recognizes that we need to build a future where more opportunities and good-paying jobs are created in Hawaii, and that local people have the skills needed to get those jobs. To do that, she has been a strong advocate for investing in community development to create jobs, supporting small businesses, and expanding educational opportunities. She has been a dedicated advocate for improving the quality of our public schools, from Pre-K to college, and for federal resources to promote technical and vocational training programs at community colleges. In addition to ensuring the education and training Hawaii families need to get ahead in today’s economy, Mazie knows that the federal government can and should assist in job creation through infrastructure investment. For every $1 billion in federal money invested in highway and transit projects, approximately 13,000 jobs are created or supported. She’s worked to support rural development projects and U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER grant program (initiated by President Obama) to support shovel-ready projects in Hawaii that help create jobs for Hawaii’s workers. She also supported the creation of the National Housing Trust Fund to provide states with dedicated resources for affordable housing development, and has fought against the Trump administration’s efforts to gut needed investments in federal community development and affordable housing programs like the successful HOME Investment Partnerships, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and resources for addressing homelessness. Small businesses are also vital to Hawaii’s economy. As a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Mazie has championed initiatives to increase investment in businesses across the state in areas like clean energy, manufacturing, technology, and research and development. She supports increased funding opportunities, technical assistance, tax credits, and expanded federal contracting opportunities for small businesses, particularly those owned by women, veterans, and minorities. Mazie believes that our tax code should support working families and small businesses, not corporations and the wealthiest Americans. She strongly opposed Donald Trump’s massive tax cut for the rich and has fought to expand the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits that help families across Hawaii, as well as other efforts that help workers and small businesses get a leg up. While big corporations are making massive profits and getting big tax cuts, we need to ensure that workers have the right to organize. Mazie recognizes that collective bargaining by unions on behalf of their members helped create the middle class, and she opposes so-called “Right to Work” initiatives that undermine the ability of unions to make sure workers are treated fairly, She has also spoken out strongly against billionaire-funded efforts to weaken unions through the courts. In 2017, in light of attacks by the Trump administration and powerful private interests, she introduced legislation to push back against attempts to erode these same protections for federal workers. Energy & Environment For centuries, Native Hawaiians understood the importance of conservation and protecting our aina. Today, many in Hawaii carry on this principle through their families and their businesses. In the Senate, Mazie has used those principles as a guide to advance policies that conserve, protect, and preserve the lands and waters in and around our island state for future generations. Mazie has fought back against the Trump administration’s attacks on common sense climate protections and other environmental regulations. She has also led the way in resisting Trump nominees – including Scott Pruitt and Ryan Zinke – who deny climate science, support exploiting our public lands for fossil fuel production, and oppose investments in a clean energy future. Mazie recognizes that Hawaii’s leadership on clean energy is an opportunity to grow our economy and create good-paying jobs. She has introduced the 21st Century Energy Workforce Act to provide job training resources for Native Hawaiians, veterans, and others to gain the skills necessary to succeed in a clean energy economy. As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Mazie has called for our country to follow Hawaii’s lead in enacting a national renewable energy standard, and supported policies and reforms that promote sustainable energy production. She has spoken out against the Trump administration’s executive order focused on increasing coal production, and voted against the Keystone XL pipeline and opening the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. She has been a strong advocate for additional federal resources to strengthen Hawaii’s ability to harness sustainable, locally-produced clean energy by investing in research and development by the U.S. military and other federal agencies in our state. Her Grid Modernization Act would provide resources for updating and improving our electricity systems and move away from dirty energy sources. Mazie has also fought to renew and preserve tax incentives for the production of clean energy while co-sponsoring legislation to take away the billions in tax benefits that Big Oil receives on a permanent basis. Mazie believes that our National Parks and Refuge systems represent some of the most unique and beautiful areas in Hawaii and across the country and should be protected and accessible to all for generations to come. She supported President Obama’s creation of the Pacific Remote Islands and expansion of Papahanaumokuakea, and has since expressed concerns over attempts to roll back protections of these Marine National Monuments. During her time as lead Democrat on the National Parks Subcommittee, she emerged as a crucial voice critical of the Interior Department’s leadership under Trump, which has proposed deep budget cuts, marginalized professional career staff who are already overworked, and sought to raise entrance fees to our national parks. She has worked to shed light on the systemic sexual assault and harassment culture that exists within the National Parks System, and will continue to do so until it is eradicated. Civil Rights Every day, the Trump administration and conservative special interests present new threats to civil rights, social justice, and minority communities. Mazie has consistently fought to protect the rights of all Americans and is a leader in the resistance against the Trump administration’s attacks on the fundamental values of our country. As Lieutenant Governor, Mazie was the highest-ranking state elected official in Hawaii to oppose the 1998 amendment to the state constitution allowing the legislature to ban same sex marriage. Since that time, there has been a welcome cultural shift and same sex marriage is now protected under the law. She is a co-sponsor of the Equality Act, comprehensive and necessary legislation that would ban discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in employment, housing, access to credit, jury service, and other areas. Last year, Mazie joined her colleagues in encouraging the Department of Justice to continue crucial programs to protect LGBTQ youth. Mazie is leading the charge against the Trump administration’s dangerous judicial nominees as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. During nomination hearings for now-Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, Mazie pressed him on his views on key cases, such as those related to civil rights and campaign finance reform, and ultimately opposed his nomination. The Trump administration has nominated some of the least qualified candidates in our nation’s history to lifetime appointments on the federal bench. Mazie has questioned their prior partisan political positions, lack of relevant experience, and fair-mindedness. To retain focus on the issue of sexual harassment and assault, she asks every nominee, who appear before all of the Senate committees on which she serves, under oath, whether they have a history of sexual assault or harassment. Mazie was an original co-sponsor of legislation to defund President Trump’s discriminatory and partisan voter fraud commission, co-sponsored legislation to overturn the Muslim ban, and authored the Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act with Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to ensure that national disgraces like the Japanese internment during World War II never happen again. She is a staunch supporter of the Voting Rights Act, but knows that we need to continue to strengthen and build up protections so that voters in Hawaii and our country can continue to exercise their most basic rights unimpeded. Immigration Reform Mazie’s life changed when she was nearly eight years old. Her mother Laura fled an abusive marriage in Japan to bring her children to the United States in search of a better life. It wasn’t easy, but they worked hard and built a life for themselves in America. Her experience growing up as an immigrant in this country continues to motivate and influence her fight for a fair, compassionate, and understanding immigration system. Like so many immigrant families, Mazie grew up in a multigenerational household. She knows that keeping families together is critically important. That is why she has fought so hard to preserve family unity as a guiding principle in our country’s immigration policies, and against attempts to demonize family reunification as “chain migration.” Mazie has been a powerful and consistent voice in the Senate on behalf of DREAMers and has fought back against the Trump administration’s cruel and unnecessary decision to end the DACA program. Mazie also called on the Supreme Court to uphold the DAPA program for parents of DREAMers and keep families together. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mazie took a lead role during the debate on Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2013. Mazie fought to include several provisions important for families in Hawaii and across the country – including one to ensure our immigration policies would be fair to women. Mazie helped establish a mobile biometrics program so residents on the Neighbor Islands can apply for immigration benefits without having to travel to Oahu. Mazie co-sponsored legislation to ban immigration restrictions based on religion, and spoke out against the demonization of immigrants during the debate and implementation of the Trump administration’s Muslim ban. National Security As a member of the Senate Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs, and Judiciary Committees, Mazie has been deeply involved in ensuring our nation is prepared to respond to any threat that arises – while prioritizing constructive, proactive diplomatic solutions to avoid potential conflicts – and making sure that we support our servicemembers and their families all the way through from enlistment, to deployment, to the transition back into our communities. Mazie understands that our national security isn’t just about our military strength, it’s also about leading by example. As one of the Senate’s leading voices for a progressive foreign policy, she has been a staunch advocate for pursuing diplomatic solutions to the serious international challenges we face on issues like global nuclear proliferation; the destabilizing actions taken by the regimes of Iran, Russia, North Korea, and Syria; and the ever-growing influence of China. Mazie believes that America should stand up for human rights, lead the global effort to fight climate change, pursue a shared approach to alleviating poverty, and improve the health and well-being of those around the globe. To ensure that the U.S. remains a beacon of hope for those fleeing oppression, Mazie has stood strong against the Trump administration’s efforts to gut the State Department and engage in a foreign policy based on xenophobia and fear. Diplomacy and cooperation should be the cornerstone of keeping our nation safe, but at the same time we cannot ignore the reality that our military must remain strong in order to back those efforts. As the gateway to the Indo-Asia-Pacific, Hawaii plays a critical role in our national security. The U.S. Pacific Command is headquartered on Oahu, and tens of thousands of military families and veterans call Hawaii home. In the Senate, Mazie has supported initiatives to protect Hawaii from the growing North Korean threat, while simultaneously promoting vigorous diplomacy to de-escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. In the annual National Defense Authorization process, Mazie continues to fight for Hawaii’s priorities, ensuring necessary resources and funding for Pacific Command; promoting military use of clean energy and energy efficiency technologies that reduce costs and risks to our servicemembers; strengthening the Services’ energy resiliency; promoting research projects with local institutions; and pursuing programs to increase stability for military families. As Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee’s Seapower Subcommittee, Mazie oversees the budget and functioning of Navy and Marine Corps programs. Mazie stands with Hawaii’s servicemembers, veterans, and their families and has worked with her colleagues to shed light on the scourge of sexual assault in the military. She introduced bipartisan legislation that would ensure that victims get the justice they deserve by putting the decision to prosecute these crimes in the hands of an impartial military prosecutors, not potentially-biased military commanders. She has previously supported legislation to provide an attorney to victims of sexual assault in the military. Mazie has been recognized by veterans’ organizations for her work to help end veteran homelessness, and continues to fight to make sure that our veterans get the benefits they have earned and the care they deserve.	”
—Mazie Hirono’s campaign website (2018)

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Mazie K. Hirono campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. Senate Hawaii	On the Ballot general	$4,387,632	$3,047,072
2018	U.S. Senate Hawaii	Won general	$4,943,817	$4,024,270
2012	U.S. Senate (Hawaii)	Won	$5,514,418	N/A**
2010	U.S. House (Hawaii, District 2)	Won	$992,526	N/A**
2008	U.S. House (Hawaii, District 2)	Won	$1,230,402	N/A**
2006	U.S. House (Hawaii, District 2)	Won	$1,431,764	N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only availabale data.

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.

Notable candidate endorsements by Mazie K. Hirono

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Kamala D. Harris  source  (D, Working Families Party)	President of the United States (2024)	Primäre	Advanced in Convention
Hillary Clinton  source  (D)	President of the United States (2016)	Primäre	Lost General

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Hirono's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $1,448,047 and $3,658,999. That averages to $2,553,523, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic senators in 2012 of $13,566,333. Hirono ranked as the 52nd most wealthy senator in 2012. Between 2006 and 2012, Hirono's calculated net worth increased by an average of 1 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Mazie Hirono Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2006	$2,476,463
2012	$2,553,523
Growth from 2006 to 2012:	3%
Average annual growth:	1%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Hirono received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry.

From 2005-2014, 24.93 percent of Hirono's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Mazie Hirono Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$9,633,774
Total Spent	$9,498,741
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$1,049,472
Retired	$385,616
Women's Issues	$381,972
Immobilien	$296,457
Transportation Unions	$287,850
% total in top industry	10.89%
% total in top two industries	14.9%
% total in top five industries	24.93%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Hirono was a "moderate Democratic follower," as of July 22, 2014. This was the same rating Hirono received in June 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Hirono most often votes with:

• Richard Blumenthal
• Susan Collins

Hirono least often votes with:

• Joe Manchin
• James Risch

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Mazie Hirono missed 2 of 926 roll call votes from January 2013 to September 2015. This amounts to 0.2 percent, which is better than the median of 1.6 percent among current senators as of September 2015.

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Hirono paid her congressional staff a total of $880,146 in 2011. She ranked 22nd on the list of the lowest paid Democratic representative staff salaries and ranked 120th overall of the lowest paid representative staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Hawaii ranked 40th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.

Staff bonuses

According to an analysis by CNN, Hirono was one of nearly 25 percent of House members who gave their staff bonuses in 2012. Hirono's staff was given an apparent $40,649.10 in bonus money.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year.

2013

Hirono ranked 4th in the liberal rankings in 2013.

2012

Information on 2012 vote rating is unavailable.

2011

Hirono ranked 26th in the liberal rankings in 2011.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Hirono voted with the Democratic Party 95.6 percent of the time, which ranked 23rd among the 53 Senate Democratic members as of July 2014.

2013

Hirono voted with the Democratic Party 95.4 percent of the time, which ranked 22nd among the 52 Senate Democratic members as of June 2013.

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Daniel Akaka (D)	U.S. Senate Hawaii 2013-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by Ed Case (D)	U.S. House Hawaii District 2 2007-2013	Succeeded by Tulsi Gabbard (D)
Preceded by -	Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii 1994-2002	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Hawaii House of Representatives 1980-1994	Succeeded by -

[show]

Hawaii's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Mazie Hirono (D)

Brian Schatz (D)

Representatives

District 1

Ed Case (D)

District 2

Jill Tokuda (D)

Democratic Party (4)