Brian Schatz

Brian Emanuel Schatz is a Democratic politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Hawaii. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and raised in Honolulu, he graduated from Punahou School before earning a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Pomona College in 1994. Schatz began his political career in the Hawaii House of Representatives, where he served from 1998 to 2006. He later served as the CEO of Helping Hands Hawaii, a non-profit social services organization, and as the chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii from 2008 to 2010. In 2010, Schatz was elected Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. On December 26, 2012, Governor Neil Abercrombie appointed him to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Daniel Inouye. Schatz won a special election in 2014 to serve the remainder of the term and was subsequently re-elected to full six-year terms in 2016 and 2022. In the Senate, he serves as the Chair of the Committee on Indian Affairs and is a member of the Committees on Appropriations; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and Foreign Relations.

Senator Schatz is a prominent advocate for environmental protection and climate change mitigation, frequently proposing legislation to transition the U.S. to renewable energy and implement carbon pricing. On healthcare, he supports the Affordable Care Act and has advocated for a public option and the expansion of Medicaid to move toward universal coverage. Regarding the economy, he supports raising the federal minimum wage, expanding Social Security benefits, and investing in green infrastructure. His foreign policy views emphasize the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region and the use of diplomacy in international conflicts. Additionally, he consistently votes in favor of expanding voting rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and gun control measures.