Brian Schatz: “Utilizing the debt ceiling statute as a sort of opportunity to take a policy ransom only harms our country.”

Congress passed a law to invest in saving lives, protecting the American people, and advancing our interests abroad; it did not hand Trump a checkbook to spend on whatever he pleases while blocking funding for everything else.

Recovering from back-to-back hurricanes requires significant resources, and help is on the way. I thank the president for approving these disaster declarations which will unlock federal resources and help our state and county governments…

Thousands of brave service members from Hawai‘i put their lives on the line to serve our country. This federal funding will help us improve and maintain Veterans Cemetery No. 2 in Hilo so we can continue to honor their legacies.

We’re all paying the price for our inaction.