Brian Schatz

Electoral integrity

Criminal justice

Fiscal policy

Healthcare

Education

Economy and labor

Environment and energy

Immigration

National security and foreign policy

Civil rights and liberties

Social policy

Technology and data

Civil liberties and government power

Government accountability and transparency

Infrastructure and public investment

Schatz congratulated the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team on winning the NCAA national championship by defeating the University of California at Irvine in a four-set match.

Schatz spoke on the Senate floor about Hawaii's worst flooding in more than 20 years, describing two storms in March that brought hurricane-force winds up to 135 miles per hour and over 62 inches of rain, forced over 5,000 residents to evacuate, and caused widespread damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure.

Schatz co-sponsored S. 4407, a bill to require the creation of family accounts for children to use artificial intelligence chatbots and to require verifiable parental consent for teens using artificial intelligence chatbots.

Schatz requested that the names of the Senator from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin), the Senator from California (Mr. Schiff), and the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Murphy) be added as cosponsors of S. 997, and requested that the names of the Senator from Colorado (Mr. Bennet) and the Senator from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan) be added as cosponsors of S. 3570.

Schatz co-sponsored Senate Amendment 4342, which would exempt certain rural, tribal, and Hawaiian Home Lands housing programs from Build America, Buy America Act requirements.

Schatz co-sponsored an amendment to H.R. 6644 regarding Native American housing assistance and homeownership activities.

Schatz was a co-sponsor of Senate Amendment 4340, which consolidated environmental review requirements for housing projects carried out by Indian tribes and tribally designated housing entities using federal funds.

Schatz requested that the name of Senator Graham from South Carolina be added as a cosponsor of S. 278, a bill to prohibit users under age 13 from accessing social media platforms, to prohibit personalized recommendation systems for individuals under age 17, and limit social media use in schools.

Schatz spoke on the Senate floor to discuss the State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill, explaining its funding for global health programs, development assistance, and multilateral institutions, and stating that it would save lives and strengthen American national security interests.

Paul Amdt. No. 4272

Motion to Table Lee Amdt. No. 4236

Motion to Table Lee Amdt. No. 4234

Motion to Table Lee Amdt. No. 4286

Sanders Amdt. No. 4290

Motion to Waive All Applicable Budgetary Discipline Re: Merkley Amdt. No. 4287

H.R. 7148, as Amended

Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Proceed to H.R. 7148

Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S. 3627

Motion to Invoke Cloture: H.R. 6938

H.R. 6938

Is the Point of Order Well Taken Re: To the Privilege Status of S.J. Res. 98

Motion to Proceed to S.J. Res. 84

Schatz stated that clean energy is now the cheapest kind of electricity available on the grid and that solar energy prices have changed significantly over the last couple of years, making it economically beneficial regardless of climate concerns.

Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Proceed to H.R. 6938

Motion to Discharge S.J.Res. 98

Confirmation: Alexander C. Van Hook, of Louisiana, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana

Motion to Proceed to S.J.Res. 86

Confirmation: Joshua Simmons, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency

Confirmation: Sara Bailey, of Texas, to be Director of National Drug Control Policy

Confirmation: Keith Bass, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense

Schatz co-sponsored Senate Amendment 4135, which proposed modifications to funding provisions for part C of title VI and administrative cost limitations in the Defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026.

Schatz stated that the President is raising prices through Federal policy, including implementing tariffs on imports, banning solar energy projects, and making policy choices that have increased health insurance and electricity costs for Americans.

Schatz joined Senator Reed and other senators in introducing the Right to Read Act, legislation to ensure students have access to reading instruction, school libraries, and developmentally appropriate materials.

Schatz called for a clean extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits to prevent millions of Americans from losing healthcare coverage and experiencing premium increases, stating that healthcare system reform cannot be accomplished in December and should be addressed separately through bipartisan efforts.

Schatz asked for the yeas and nays on the Bragdon nomination and voted nay.

Schatz asked for the yeas and nays on the Nieh nomination and voted nay.

Schatz co-sponsored Senate Resolution 501 recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and celebrating the heritages, cultures, and contributions of Native Americans to the United States.

Schatz was listed as a cosponsor of S. Res. 501, a resolution recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and celebrating the heritages and cultures of Native Americans and the contributions of Native Americans to the United States.

Schatz stated that the Trump administration was using a contingency fund to pay SNAP benefits during the shutdown as previously announced on September 30, then reversed course three weeks later, went to court to argue against paying these benefits despite two federal judges ruling the law required payment, and subsequently announced it would only pay half of SNAP benefits to 40 million Americans.

Schatz stated that Donald Trump is sending $20 billion to Argentina to bail out their economy and $50 billion for a tariff bailout for American soybean producers while Americans face healthcare premium increases of 114 percent.

Schatz stated that Kaiser Family Foundation analysis shows premiums will increase on average by 114 percent per person, and described the impact on families at various income levels who will receive letters in the mail starting January 1 about increased monthly healthcare premiums.

Schatz co-sponsored Senate Resolution 405 expressing support for the recognition of September 22-28, 2025, as "Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week."

Schatz asked for the yeas and nays on the Lanahan nomination and voted nay on the confirmation vote.

Schatz co-sponsored Senate Amendment 3813, which proposed requirements for the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide telehealth, mail order pharmacy, and beneficiary travel benefits to veterans in the Freely Associated States.

Schatz asked for the yeas and nays on the Arrigo nomination and voted nay.

Schatz requested unanimous consent to change his vote on rollcall vote No. 494 from no to yea.

Schatz stated that the mass starvation and death in Gaza is a moral tragedy and strategic abomination, that the catastrophe was preventable and indefensible, and that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has failed to distribute aid effectively.

Schatz voted nay on the Edlow nomination.

Schatz stated that 17 million Americans, including 9 million people on Medicaid, will lose healthcare coverage in approximately 18 months due to work requirements in a recently passed bill, and explained how the reporting portal requirements would create barriers for people working long hours or experiencing temporary incapacity.

Schatz co-sponsored an amendment submitted by Ms. Rosen to exempt critical homebuilding materials from duties imposed under Executive Order 14257.

Schatz co-submitted Senate Resolution 304 commemorating the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War and reaffirming the critical importance of maintaining military readiness in defense of the United States and its allies.

Schatz was a cosponsor of S. Res. 304, a resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Korean War and reaffirming the importance of maintaining military readiness.

Schatz stated that more than 16 million people would lose healthcare, tens of millions would pay more for healthcare monthly, hundreds of rural hospitals would close, and the country would plunge into trillions of dollars of new debt due to tax cuts for wealthy people.

Schatz compared the President's use of armed soldiers against civilians in U.S. cities to authoritarian behavior by foreign leaders.

Schatz asked for the yeas and nays on the O'Neill nomination and voted nay.

Schatz spoke on the Senate floor opposing a budget reconciliation bill, stating that it would transfer wealth to the richest Americans while cutting Medicaid, food assistance, and healthcare subsidies for millions of people.

Schatz asked for the yeas and nays on the Walsh nomination.

Schatz asked for the yeas and nays on the Rigas nomination and voted nay.

Schatz asked for the yeas and nays on the Landau nomination and voted nay.

Schatz stated that he would be joining his Democratic colleagues in voting no on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025, characterizing the legislation as an invention to stir up a culture war and distract from more pressing issues like inflation, disease outbreaks, and Republican plans to cut taxes for billionaires while reducing Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act.

Schatz spoke on the floor regarding Project 2025, explaining how the ACA subsidy scheme works and describing the insurance market conditions that existed before the Affordable Care Act's implementation.