Why it Matters
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) spent part of this week in Hawaii, meeting with constituents on Maui and celebrating a statewide sports milestone, while his legislative work on federal employee leave and a Montana land transfer drew attention in Washington.
Schatz conducted a listening tour across Maui on Aug. 13, meeting with students, small business owners and law enforcement. “Had a great day talking story with people across Maui,” he wrote. “We heard from students, small businesses, and law enforcement about their concerns and priorities, and discussed the work we're doing in Washington to bring home federal resources.”
Days earlier, he celebrated Pearl City’s Senior Little League team after it won the Senior League Baseball World Series in Easley, South Carolina. “These young athletes represented Hawaiʻi with heart and determination,” he posted on Aug. 8. Pearl City defeated Curaçao 5-0 in the championship game after advancing through the West Region tournament.
What They're Talking About
On the legislative front, Schatz led a group of eight senators in introducing the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act on July 29. The bill would provide federal employees with up to 12 weeks of paid leave for purposes covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, including an employee’s serious health condition, caring for a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition, and certain circumstances involving military service. Current federal paid parental leave already covers qualifying births, adoptions and foster placements.
Schatz also raised concerns during Senate Indian Affairs Committee consideration of S. 239, the Crow Revenue Act, which would transfer approximately 4,660 acres of subsurface interests within the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana to the Crow Tribe in exchange for other federal land and mineral interests. Schatz, who serves as vice chairman of the committee, filed amendments aimed at addressing transparency and financial concerns surrounding the transaction.
“I am not satisfied that the tribe is going to benefit and I am quite confident that [Musselshell County] may lose a ton of revenue,” Schatz said. He also raised concerns that some private investors involved “have repeatedly been in trouble with the federal government.” Musselshell County has separately argued that the legislation could cost it between $6 million and $12 million in federal mineral royalty revenue.
In the News
OregonLive reported on the paid leave proposal on Aug. 10, highlighting its potential impact on the federal workforce. Separately, Legis1 reported the same day on the committee’s advancement of the Crow Revenue Act, including Schatz’s reservations about the deal’s structure.
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