Sen. Hirono, ally of WWII Filvets, to chair Senate Armed Services Subcommittee

Sen. Mazie Hirono (second from left, front row) retired Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba and Hawaii attendees at Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for Filipino WWII veterans in 2017. INQUIRER FILE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), an ally of Filipino World War II veterans, was appointed to chair the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower.

The subcommittee provides important oversight of the majority of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps programs, during the 117^th Congress. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) will serve as Ranking Member.

“As Chair of the Seapower Subcommittee, I look forward to partnering with Ranking Member Cramer and my colleagues on the subcommittee to sharpen the Navy and Marine Corps’ readiness to meet existing and emerging threats to our national security. Critical to this effort is building bipartisan support for a prudent shipbuilding plan that invests in our industrial base and delivers a fleet for the 21^st century. The dedicated Navy and Marine Corps service members and the hardworking civilian workforce deserve our full support,” Senator Hirono said.

The Senator has served as Ranking Member of the Seapower Subcommittee since 2015. In her capacity as Ranking Member and as a member of the committee, she has focused on the need to modernize public shipyards—including the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, strategic interests and engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, the importance of military training areas in Hawaii and elsewhere to support readiness, expanding the Navy’s fleet, and making sure that service members and their families and civilian employees are supported.

Senator Hirono will also serve on the Subcommittees on Personnel, and Readiness and Management Support.