Since joining the Senate, he has focused his work on helping workers, veterans, and families and has led key legislation on health care, climate change, and technology.
Senator Schatz chairs the Indian Affairs Committee, and serves on the Appropriations Committee; the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; the Foreign Relations Committee; and the Select Committee on Ethics. He also serves on the Senate Democratic Caucus's leadership team as Chief Deputy Whip.
Senator Schatz knows a quality education is the foundation for future success for our children and our growing economy. He is a strong advocate for expanding early childhood education, repairing and modernizing our schools, improving programs that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), and making college more affordable for Hawai‘i families.
As the father of two young children, Brian has made education a top priority in the U.S. Senate and understands how vital early childhood and primary education is to building a better future for Hawai‘i. Children who have access to early childhood education are more likely to succeed in school and after they graduate. That is why he is working with Senator Hirono on legislation to expand early childhood education, giving nationally-recognized programs the resources to reach more low-income and underserved children.
Senator Schatz also knows that the condition of our schools has a big impact on students’ learning. In Hawai‘i, public schools need $265 million in basic repairs and are falling further behind 21st Century standards. The federal government can do more to help states turn dilapidated schools into world-class learning environments for our students. Senator Schatz is working on legislation that would give states and school districts the resources they need to comprehensively repair and modernize schools.
Senator Schatz is working to make sure Hawai‘i students are prepared for the jobs of the future, and is fighting for full funding of science and math education programs. Making these investments will ensure our children will be able to compete globally and develop the technical skills to build a stronger, more innovative economy.
The increasing cost of higher education is putting college out of reach for many Hawai‘i families. To create greater opportunities for our students, Senator Schatz has partnered with Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut to introduce comprehensive legislation to make higher education more affordable for students and families. Together, Senators Schatz and Murphy are working to incentivize colleges to reduce the cost of higher education and make them accountable to students to ensure federal dollars are being spent effectively.