Latest news with #BrianSchatz
Wall Street Journal
a day ago
- General
- Wall Street Journal
Everybody Says She's a Moderate
This column has been somewhat amused by the argument from Sen. Brian Schatz (D., Hawaii) that Democrats can advance the agenda of the progressive left as long as they don't sound like they're advancing the agenda of the progressive left. But this is no joke, as the party's erstwhile leader would say. There's a former U.S. House member who's been succeeding with this strategy for years. Friendly media accounts suggest she's poised to do it again. Liz Crampton writes for Politico:
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hawaii delegation pushes Navy for information on Kaula training plan
Hawaii's congressional delegation is pushing the Navy to provide more information on its plan to more than double bombardment training on a small Hawaiian Island that the state and conservation groups consider a critical bird sanctuary. Kaula lies about 23 miles southwest of Niihau and is a nesting ground to about 18 species of birds—including the black-footed albatross—and its shores team with monk seals and other marine life. But since 1953 the island also has been used by the Navy for target practice. The Navy originally used live explosive ordnance, but stopped the practice in the 1980s and began using inert dummy rounds instead. But as tensions simmer with China and the Pentagon increasingly sees the Pacific as its top-priority theater of operations, the military has looked to step up training in Hawaii and across the region. In 2024 the Navy advanced a proposal to increase its bombing runs at Kaula from 12 a year to as many as 31, and argued that the environmental impacts would be 'less than significant.' U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 'I think every aspect of training in the state of Hawaii needs to be explained and justified, but certainly when you're talking about 500-pound objects hitting the side of a mountain and the answer is 'national security, ' my answer is maybe, but that's not a thorough enough explanation for what's happening to be justified.' The Navy is making its pitch at a time when the military is facing heightened scrutiny over its use of land and environmental impacts in Hawaii, with the Navy in particular working to repair its public image since the 2021 Red Hill water crisis. On Tuesday all four members of Hawaii's congressional delegation sent a letter to Navy Secretary John Phelan, telling him that 'in Hawaii, there is a significant level of mistrust with the Department of Defense as a whole, and the Navy in particular.' 'Doubling the amount of training at Kaula is a significant step that warrants more information on the environmental impacts to the island, ' the lawmakers wrote. 'The State's seabird sanctuary on Kaula is home to thousands of seabirds, and the island's sea cliffs are a resting place for endangered species like monk seals. Despite these known populations of wildlife, the draft environmental assessment does not contain sufficient analysis that impacts on wildlife would be 'less than significant.' The public deserves a clear, comprehensive, and evidence-based (environmental impact statement ) to demonstrate that the Navy has done its due diligence on the environmental impacts of these trainings.' The Navy stressed in a draft environmental assessment released in August that it does not seek to resume live explosive training, but rather to increase the frequency of the training it already does on Kaula, which is limited to the small island's southern end. But officials from both the state and Kauai County, along with local conservationists, argue that the increase in training could disrupt a unique ecosystem. To make matters more complicated, there is an ongoing dispute about whether the island is federal or state land, and local officials have called on training to stop altogether. In their letter, the members of the congressional delegation called on the Navy to explain in their formal assessment why training at Kaula is critical to national security. The delegation sought to know how a reduction or end to use of Kaula as a range would specifically affect the readiness of military units operating in the Pacific. They also wanted to know why the Navy has 'not already built in more redundancies to address any readiness issues due to a lack of availability of training ranges.' Moreover, they wanted an explanation of how the Navy had determined that there is 'an irreplaceable need for access to Kaula that cannot be fulfilled by an alternative site.' The delegation also asked that the Navy provide answers by June 16 as to whether the Navy 'plans to program specific environmental remediation funding, including to address existing and future ordnance clean up.' They also asked whether the Navy has plans to ensure regular access to the waters around Kaula by local fishermen and whether the Navy will plan for increased environmental impacts on the southern end of the island. And, the delegation asked for an explanation of what readiness demands and restrictions at other training sites 'uniquely warrants this substantive jump in training activity at Kaula.' The Navy's proposal to increase training was made in the summer of 2024. Since then President Donald Trump won an election and has established a new team at the Pentagon led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has vowed to rid the military of 'woke ' programs and has singled out environmental programs that he argues have 'distracted ' the military from combat training and obtaining new weapons systems. That rhetoric has alarmed several community groups in Hawaii. But Schatz said, 'I'd like to see what they do rather than what they say. Because so far, (the military in Hawaii ) hasn't been different than other administrations. Certainly, the rhetoric is that they are not interested in environmental stewardship, but a lot of these programs are established by law. So they can not like it, but they don't really have the option to not do it.' The senator said that when it comes to how the military does business in Hawaii, issues around its approach to the environment and local communities are long-standing. He said that 'the institution of the Department of Defense, whichever (political ) party is in charge, has had a hard time with internalizing the idea that they are, in fact, our guests and that they should behave like guests and earn their welcome.' When it comes to Kaula, Schatz said the Navy 'should start with a basic explanation of why they feel the need to do this, (and ) that they've thoroughly assessed the environmental impacts. I spend a fair amount of time criticizing Trump, and I will continue to do that where it's appropriate, but I don't think this is a Trump policy problem. I think this is an institutional position of the DOD (Department of Defense ) over many, many decades.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Big upgrades coming to Maui's Kahului Airport
KAHULUI, Hawai'i (KHON2) — A big change is coming to Kahului Airport on Maui, where long security lines have frustrated travelers for years. Body found in wheel well of United Airlines flight from Chicago to Maui The State broke ground on a new TSA checkpoint on May 29 to help ease the wait. The Hawai'i Department of Transportation kicked off construction for a new, two-story TSA checkpoint at Kahului airport on Thursday — it is a project aimed at cutting down the hours-long security wait times that currently plague travelers. 'Nothing is easier to explain than this project, because anybody who has gone through this airport in recent years understands what a relief this checkpoint will be,' said Senator Brian Schatz. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Schatz joined State officials at the groundbreaking ceremony, where the focus was improving the travel experience for everyone. State Senator Lynn DeCoite said it is for both residents and visitors. 'As the chair of Economic Development and Tourism, it's to create balance. It's to have that welcoming feeling of 'Okay I coming from work, I got to make a trip, I want to get through TSA as fast as I can,'' DeCoite said. The new checkpoint at the south end of the ticket lobby will add several new screening lanes, Department of Transportation director Ed Sniffen said it will be a major upgrade for the facility — though there will be a period in the fall where only the new checkpoint will be open. Skip long TSA lines at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport with CLEAR 'For a little while in September, when we finish this one, we'll shut down the main checkpoint, refresh that area, make sure we air condition it, make sure everybody stays more comfortable, and take care of the equipment a lot better,' Sniffen said. 'Main checkpoint with seven lanes, and there's a northern checkpoint with two lanes. So, there are nine lanes total that we have now. This one that we're building now is going to be six new lanes that are coming through. So all told, when everything's done, we will have 15 lanes for this airport, which will be tremendous.' Just under 4.5 million travelers pass through security at Kahului Airport every single year, residents said that adding another TSA checkpoint is long overdue. 'Yeah, way overdue! Because sometimes just, you know, when it's tourist season it's real busy and the line goes all the way to the street sometimes,' said Wailuku resident Les Chung. Check out more news from around Hawaii About $30 million of the $46 million checkpoint is being covered by the federal government, all 15 lanes are expected to be operational by the end of 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fear grips Hawaii's Filipino teaching community after ICE home raid
[Source] A federal immigration raid at a Maui residence housing Filipino teachers has heightened anxiety among educators and drawn sharp criticism from Hawaii lawmakers. What went down: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents reportedly executed a federal search warrant at a multi-family residence in Kahului on May 6, detaining approximately 10 to 12 teachers and family members for roughly 45 minutes during their search. Among those detained were Filipino nationals working legally on J-1 visas. The operation is said to have targeted a Hispanic man who had previously lived at the address. The warrant, however, was shown to the landlord allegedly only after agents completed their search. Lawmakers speak out: Sen. Brian Schatz first denounced the operation in a statement, characterizing it as 'racial profiling and a shameful abuse of power' designed to create fear. Sen. Mazie Hirono also criticized the administration's approach to immigration on social media, writing, 'Rather than making our communities safer, Trump is focused solely on sowing chaos and instilling fear in vulnerable communities.' ICE responds: ICE, for its part, defended the operation, saying Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents conduct themselves professionally and do not target specific ethnic or professional groups. 'Making unsubstantiated comments to suggest otherwise places our agents and our communities at risk and erodes public faith in law enforcement for no reason,' it stated. 'HSI will aggressively push back on false accusations to ensure the public has access to the truth and is informed on our mission to support public safety.' Trending on NextShark: The big picture: The home search was part of a broader four-day enforcement operation from May 5 to 8 that led to 50 arrests across Hawaii's three main islands, targeting individuals with various immigration violations and criminal histories. Earlier this week, Filipino officials confirmed that no Filipino nationals were arrested in the Kahului raid and that all affected teachers remain safe. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As House Republicans advance Trump's far-right agenda, what happens now?
House members looking for an excuse to oppose the Republicans' so-called 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' were handed plenty of opportunities. The Congressional Budget Office, for example, delivered a brutal assessment of the party's far-right reconciliation package on Tuesday night. Hours later, investors and the bond market offered a similar verdict: As GOP policymakers prepared to add trillions of dollars to the national debt, growing concerns about government borrowing costs sent markets tumbling. What's more, to the extent that the party cares about public attitudes, the Republicans' bill is filled with wildly unpopular provisions. As Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii told The Wall Street Journal, 'It's like this was designed in a lab to piss off the maximum number of people.' The pieces were in place for a disastrous outcome for GOP leaders: Conservative members thought the legislation wasn't regressive enough; members from competitive districts thought it went too far to the right; and given the narrow Republican majority in the chamber, the odds of failure were great. And yet, Republicans ended up passing it anyway. With that in mind, let's dig in. What's in the bill? It's unrealistic to think the entire package can be summarized in a blog post, but in broad strokes, the public should recognize the GOP's legislation as a potentially transformative bill, filled with trillions of dollars' worth of tax cuts, provisions that would increase food vulnerability for struggling families, funding for mass deportations and an ineffective border wall, a wholesale abandonment of efforts to combat the climate crisis, and perhaps most notably, massive cuts to Medicaid — a celebrated health care program that Trump vowed not to cut. As the Congressional Budget Office made clear, the bill is effectively Robin Hood in reverse: Republicans intend to give to the rich and take from the poor. That said, those trying to keep up with the legislation came to realize that the details were moving targets: Republican leaders kept making backroom deals, changing the proposal in meaningful ways, even in the final hours before the bill reached the floor. Did House members have time to read the bill before voting on it? Almost certainly not. As my MSNBC colleague Hayes Brown noted: '[F]ew, if any, members ... had time to read in its entirety after last-minute changes were made to win over a group of conservative holdouts.' Was the vote close? Very. The final vote was 215-214. Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, voted 'present,' and two GOP members — Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio — joined a unanimous House Democratic conference in voting against it. Two other House Republicans — Andrew Garbarino of New York and David Schweikert of Arizona — did not vote at all. Did GOP leaders pass the bill in a normal way? Not even a little. Despite the sweeping significance of the legislation, Republicans didn't even ask for CBO analyses; they refused to hold substantive hearings about the effects of their legislation; they held middle-of-the-night committee markups; they made secret deals behind closed doors; and they rushed the bill to the floor before members could read it. Congress was designed to work in a certain way, and this wasn't it. Didn't Republicans insist in the recent past that the final version of all bills be publicly available for three days before members vote on them? Yep. That was a real priority for the party — until it wasn't. What was the rush? The official explanation from GOP leaders was that they needed to advance the bill before Memorial Day weekend if they had any chance of getting a final version to the White House by the party's self-imposed July 4 deadline. The unofficial explanation, however, matters too: Republicans also understood that the longer the process took, the more opponents would be able to marshal their resources; the more members would learn about the far-right package's many 'surprises'; the more journalists could shine a light on its many flaws; and the more Americans would be able to call Capitol Hill and urge their representatives to vote against this monstrosity. So what happens now? The bill will move on to the Republican-led Senate, where members have made clear that they're not especially impressed with the House's version. NBC News reported last week that a variety of GOP senators said 'the emerging package won't fly as written when it reaches them.' Republican Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota was asked whether the Senate would pass the House bill as it currently stands. 'No. We'll make changes,' Hoeven said. Can Senate Democrats use a filibuster to derail the bill? No. Republicans are utilizing what's known as the budget reconciliation process, which allows the majority party to pass a tax-and-spend bill through simple majorities in both chambers. Democrats can try to persuade their GOP colleagues to oppose the far-right legislation, but they're powerless to defeat it. If the Senate passes a changed bill, then what? It would go back to the House for another contentious vote. With this in mind, opponents of the legislation — both on and off Capitol Hill — have reason to be disappointed by the outcome of Thursday morning's vote, but there will be other opportunities. Watch this space. This article was originally published on
