Mazie Hirono

Mazie Hirono, a Democrat, has represented the 2nd Congressional District of Hawaii in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2007. Hirono and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) became the first Buddhists to serve in Congress in January 2007.  (map)

Record and controversies
Since entering the House of Representatives in 2007, Mazie Hirono has tended to vote along the party lines of her fellow liberal Democrats. Liberal interest groups have given Hirono an average score of 89.3 on supporting their issues.  Conversely, she has recieved an average score of 6.9 on conservative issues Furthermore, Hirono was sponsored by several traditionally liberal interest groups, including the Sheet Metal Worker's Union and EMILY'S List over her congressional career. Hirono's main legislative issues focus on agriculture, business, education, energy, health care, labor, military and veteran issues, native Hawaiian issues, and women's issues. These are all important to Hawaii but are also predominantly liberal political issues.

Native Hawaiian Issues
Hirono has sponsored and co-sponsored several pieces of legislation focused on Native Hawaiian Rights.On her website, Hirono claims to be "a champion for the rights and needs of Native Hawaiians and is working to make sure the government honors its obligation to Native Hawaiians." She co-sponsored the Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act (H.R. 505)|/bss/d110query.html|, which she has argued for with several speeches on the House floor. Hirono has also sponsored several minor pieces of legislation like H.RES. 1153 (celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage month) The rights of Native Hawaiians are very important and unresolved issue in Hawaii and Hirono is trying to help her constituents directly by endorsing such legislation

Education
Hirono is a member of the Education & Labor committee and the subcommittees on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education and on Higher Education, Lifelong learning, and competitiveness. . Hirono receives heavy support from education; she has has $23,000 donated to her campaigns over her career from the University of Hawaii. She has sponsored legislation celebrating the University of Hawaii, and a few other resolutions passed to aid teacher, by increasing the number of jobs or helping improve their salaries. Hirono is against No Child Left Behind, instead believing that we need a complete overhaul of the system by increasing fairness and flexibility, supporting teachers and principals, encouraging best practices and protecting Native Hawaiian education. She also supports adjusting the college financing system and Early Head Start schools in ways similar to her fellow liberal democrats.

Veteran's Rights
Additionally, Hirono is a strong supporter of the military and veterans, two groups that have played an important role in Hawaiian history. She is most supportive in the area of veteran's rights. Hirono proposes that her congress increases the VA budget and funding for health care facilities to show support for our troops. Hirono has been effective in this area; the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American gave Hirono a grade of A+ in 2007-2008. She sponsored legislation helping the children of Filipino WWII veterans in 2007 and co-sponsored many other minor bills along the way. Hirono has also helped the military of Hawaii in other ways. In November of 2008, she helped cleanup a landfill in Hawaii filled with six torpedoes and numerous casings through a 2 million dollar earmark. Her support of the military is appreciated by the veterans, whom she has also helped get jobs if they are down on their luck. 

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Reparations for Japanese Latin Americans
Hirono cosponsored The Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent Act in the 110th Congress which would establish a commission that would determine the facts and circumstances involving the relocation, internment and deportation of Japanese Latin Americans.

Support for gun control
Hirono cosponsored H.R. 1022 (Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2007) on March 13, 2007.

Biography
Hirono was born on November 3, 1947 in Fukushima, Japan. At age seven, her mother brought her to Hawaii as she fled an abusive marriage. Hirono became a naturalized citizen in 1959. She graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She earned her law degree from Georgetown University. After graduating, she served as a Deputy Attorney General then practiced law in the private sector.

In 1980, Hirono was elected to the the Hawaii state legislature. In 1994, she successfully ran for lieutenant governor. Hirono was also President of the National Commission on Teaching, America's Future as well as the Hawai'i Policy Group. In 2002, she was the Democratic nominee for governor, having defeated Rep. Ed Case in the primary. She lost in the general election, however, to Linda Lingle. 

2006 elections
On September 23, Hirono won the Democratic primary for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, being vacated by Ed Case, in a 10-way race, garnering 21.8 percent of the vote, about 800 votes ahead of state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, who had 21.1 percent. Former state Sen. Matt Matsunaga (14 percent) finished in third. 

Her opponent in the general election was Republican Bob Hogue. She defeated him 61%-39% to win the seat. 

Money in politics
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Committees and Affiliations

 * House Committee on Education and Labor
 * Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
 * Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness


 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Highways, Transit & Pipelines
 * Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment

Articles

 * Jerry Skurnik, " Congressional Elections - Good for the Jews (and the Buddhists)," Room Eight, November 8, 2006.
 * Sarah Wheaton, "A Congressman, a Muslim and a Buddhist Walk Into a Bar...," New York Times - The Caucus blog, January 2, 2007.