Brian Schatz is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, having served in the Senate since 2012. A member of the Democratic Party, he was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1972 and grew up in Honolulu. He earned his degree from Pomona College in California. Before his appointment to the Senate, he served in the Hawaii House of Representatives, chaired the Hawaii Democratic Party, and served as Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. He was appointed to the Senate in December 2012 by Governor Neil Abercrombie to fill the seat left vacant by the death of the legendary Senator Daniel Inouye, and was subsequently elected to full terms in 2014 and 2016.
In the Senate, Schatz has established himself as a leading voice on technology policy, climate change, and Native Hawaiian affairs. He chairs the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, where he has focused on social media regulation, broadband access, and artificial intelligence governance. He has been one of the Senate's most vocal advocates for aggressive federal action on climate change and has worked to advance legislation addressing the impacts of rising seas and intensifying storms on Pacific island communities.
- Senate Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Department of Defense
- Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs — Ranking Member
- Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media
- Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy
- Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries
- Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety
- Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
- Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy
- Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation
- Subcommittee on Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic, Energy, and Environmental Policy
- Senate Committee on Indian Affairs — Vice Chairman
- Senate Select Committee on Ethics
- S. 4610: A bill to promote the development and use of geothermal resources in the Pacific, and for other purposes. — Introduced
- S. 4582: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the designation of general surgery shortage areas, and for other purposes. — Introduced
- SRES. 730: A resolution congratulating the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team for winning the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Volleyball Championship. — Introduced
- S. 4545: Scientific Integrity Act — Introduced
- SRES. 715: A resolution recognizing escalating threats to freedom of the press and freedom of speech worldwide, including increasing harm to journalists reporting in conflict zones and under repressive regimes, reaffirming the vital role that a free and independent press plays in upholding democracy, fostering economic prosperity, and keeping the public informed, and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority of the United States Government in supporting democracy, human rights, and good governance in commemoration of "World Press Freedom Day" on May 3, 2026. — Introduced