Mazie Hirono

“It is amazing how our natural areas can change over our lifetimes.”

“Women feel we need to be much better prepared, that we need to have a lot of experience behind us before we run for office.”

“That used to be one of my greatest fears growing up: my mom would get sick and then she wouldn't be able to go to work and then there is no food or money for rent.”

“Opinion is not slander.”

“The passing of my friend and a great American hero, Dan Inouye, is a major loss for the country and Hawaii. But the people of Hawaii are strong and we will persevere.”

“No one should have to worry about whether they can afford the health care that one day might save their life.”

“In Hawaii we understand why it is important to malama, or take care of, our land, ocean, and air - our way of life depends on it.”

“Blue slips enable home-state senators to ensure that the federal judges serving in their states are highly qualified.”

“Going through economic hard times is something I know firsthand.”

“I wanted to be a counselor or social worker. That's one of the reasons I was a psychology major.”

“I know who I fight for and why.”

“The defense to slander is the truth, and sometimes the truth hurts.”

“I always saw my mother just making decisions that helped our family. It was much later when I realized how courageous she really was, and I came to understand what a risk-taker she was. That's very much a part of how I am.”

“When I arrived at the Capitol in 2007 to take my oath as a new member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I had the privilege of filling the seat held for so long and so well by my friend Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first Asian-American woman elected to Congress. I was so grateful to her.”

“Running for office is not easy. It's not enough to want it.”

“For the Navy, developing alternatives to fossil fuels isn't just about fighting climate change - though that's an important side benefit. Biofuels will also play a much more practical role in the Navy's fuel mix, boosting our energy security and supporting the U.S. economy.”

“As I walk to my office every morning, I know I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me.”

“To me, Stephen Miller is like Iago whispering in the president's ear, along with John Kelly. These people are totally anti-immigrant.”

“Diversifying our energy sources will create jobs, improve our national security and lay the foundation for a strong, sustainable economy in the future.”

“We work really hard to get elected.”