Brian Schatz

Brian Schatz
Official portrait, 2013
Brian Schatz
Born	Brian Emanuel Schatz 20 10, 1972
Birthplace	Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Title	United States Senator from Hawaii
Known for	United States Senator from Hawaii (2012–present), 12th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
Education	Pomona College (B.A.)
Website	[Official Senate website Official site]

Brian Emanuel Schatz (born October 20, 1972) is an American politician who has served as a United States senator from Hawaii since December 2012. A member of the Democratic Party, Schatz was appointed to the Senate by Governor Neil Abercrombie following the death of longtime Senator Daniel Inouye, making him the youngest member of the U.S. Senate in the 112th Congress at the time of his appointment. Before entering the Senate, Schatz built a career in Hawaii public life that spanned service in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1998 to 2006, leadership of the Democratic Party of Hawaii as its chairman from 2008 to 2010, a tenure as chief executive officer of Helping Hands Hawaii, and service as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2012. Since joining the Senate, Schatz has established himself as a progressive voice on issues including climate change, housing, healthcare, and Indigenous affairs. He won the 2014 special election to complete the remainder of Inouye's term with nearly 70 percent of the vote and was subsequently reelected in 2016 and 2022. In the Senate, he has served as Chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and as Deputy Secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Early Life

Brian Emanuel Schatz was born on October 20, 1972, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He later moved to Hawaii, where he grew up and developed deep ties to the state's diverse communities. Details regarding his parents and family background during his upbringing in Hawaii remain limited in publicly available biographical sources, though records indicate that his father, Irwin Schatz, was a physician who had connections to the medical field.

Schatz's formative years in Hawaii shaped his engagement with public service and community issues. Growing up in the islands exposed him to the state's unique multicultural environment and the social and economic challenges facing island communities, including issues related to housing, cost of living, and environmental conservation. These experiences would later inform his policy priorities as both a state legislator and a United States senator.

Education

Schatz attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Pomona College, a private liberal arts institution and a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium, acknowledged Schatz as an alumnus upon his appointment to the United States Senate in December 2012. His education at Pomona provided a foundation in the liberal arts before he returned to Hawaii to begin his career in public service and community work.

Career

Hawaii House of Representatives (1998–2006)

Schatz began his career in elected office when he won a seat in the Hawaii House of Representatives, representing the 25th legislative district. He served in the state House from 1998 to 2006, a period during which he focused on a range of issues affecting the state. During his time in the state legislature, Schatz gained experience in the legislative process and built relationships within Hawaii's Democratic political establishment.

Election records document Schatz's campaigns for the state House seat during this period. His legislative tenure concluded in 2006, after which he transitioned to other roles in public service and the nonprofit sector.

Nonprofit Leadership and Party Chairmanship (2006–2010)

After leaving the state legislature, Schatz served as chief executive officer of Helping Hands Hawaii, an Oahu-based nonprofit social service agency that provides assistance to individuals and families in need. In this role, he oversaw the organization's operations and its mission of delivering social services to vulnerable populations in the state.

Concurrently, Schatz took on a leadership role within the Democratic Party of Hawaii, serving as the party's chairman from 2008 to 2010. As chairman, he was responsible for coordinating party strategy, fundraising, and organizational activities during a period that included the 2008 presidential election and various state-level contests. His role as party chairman raised his profile within Hawaii's political community and positioned him for a return to elected office.

During this period, Schatz was also connected to broader Democratic politics in Hawaii. Records from the 2006 election cycle indicate his involvement in political activities surrounding the U.S. Senate race in which incumbent Daniel Akaka faced a primary challenge.

Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii (2010–2012)

In 2010, Schatz entered the race for lieutenant governor of Hawaii, running as the running mate of Neil Abercrombie in the gubernatorial election. To pursue the campaign, Schatz resigned from his position as CEO of Helping Hands Hawaii. During the campaign, local media profiled the candidates for lieutenant governor, examining their backgrounds, policy positions, and leadership styles.

The Abercrombie-Schatz ticket won the 2010 general election, and Schatz was sworn in as the 12th lieutenant governor of Hawaii. As lieutenant governor, Schatz served as the state's second-ranking executive officer and presided over the Hawaii State Senate. His tenure as lieutenant governor was marked by engagement with various state policy matters, and he was involved in discussions surrounding significant legislation, including the civil unions bill that was the subject of a veto by outgoing Governor Linda Lingle.

Schatz served as lieutenant governor until December 26, 2012, when his career took a dramatic turn following the death of Senator Daniel Inouye.

Appointment to the United States Senate (2012)

On December 17, 2012, Senator Daniel Inouye, who had served in the United States Senate since 1963, died at the age of 88. Under Hawaii law, the governor was authorized to appoint a replacement from the same political party to serve until a special election could be held. On December 26, 2012, Governor Neil Abercrombie appointed Schatz to fill the vacant Senate seat.

The appointment was notable in part because Inouye had reportedly expressed a preference for U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa as his successor, but Governor Abercrombie selected Schatz instead. At the time of his appointment, Schatz became the youngest member of the United States Senate in the 112th Congress.

Shortly after his appointment, Schatz traveled to Washington, D.C., joining President Barack Obama on Air Force One for the trip from Hawaii to the capital. He was sworn into office and began serving immediately, participating in Senate votes before the end of the 112th Congress.

Senate Elections

Schatz faced his first electoral test for the Senate seat in the 2014 special election, held to complete the remainder of Inouye's term, which was set to expire in January 2017. In the Democratic primary, he faced Colleen Hanabusa, who had been Inouye's preferred successor. Schatz won the primary and went on to win the general election with just under 70 percent of the vote.

He was reelected to a full six-year term in 2016 and won reelection again in 2022, solidifying his position as one of Hawaii's two senators alongside Senator Mazie Hirono.

Senate Committee Roles and Leadership

Within the Senate, Schatz has taken on several committee and leadership roles. He served as Chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs from February 2021 to January 2025, succeeding Senator John Hoeven and later being succeeded by Senator Lisa Murkowski as the committee's leadership shifted with changes in Senate control. In this role, Schatz oversaw matters related to the federal government's trust responsibilities to Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities.

Beginning in January 2023, Schatz assumed the position of Deputy Secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus under the leadership of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, a role that placed him within the party's Senate leadership structure. In January 2025, he also became Vice Chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, succeeding Lisa Murkowski in that position.

Legislative Priorities and Policy Work

Throughout his Senate tenure, Schatz has focused on several major policy areas, including climate change, healthcare, housing, and social services. He has been particularly active on climate and environmental issues, reflecting the concerns of his island state, which faces threats from rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and extreme weather events.

In December 2025, Schatz introduced legislation aimed at protecting and expanding Social Security. The measure, titled the Safeguarding American Families and Expanding Social Security (SAFE Social Security) Act, was designed to strengthen the program's financial footing and expand benefits.

In early 2026, the Senate passed a bipartisan funding bill that included a provision authored by Schatz to extend Medicare telehealth coverage for an additional two years, reflecting his interest in expanding healthcare access, particularly for communities in remote and rural areas such as those across the Hawaiian islands.

Schatz has also been active in securing federal funding for Hawaii through congressionally directed spending, commonly known as earmarks. In February 2026, he secured a $2 million earmark for the construction of a new Pu'uhonua O Wai'anae homeless village, addressing one of the state's most pressing social issues. He also secured $1 million in directed spending to improve Moloka'i Airport, addressing infrastructure needs on one of the state's smaller islands. Additionally, he secured $2 million for the Hawai'i Island Food Bank, addressing food insecurity in the state.

On environmental policy, Schatz has been a vocal critic of actions he views as undermining climate protections. In February 2026, he released a statement criticizing President Donald Trump's repeal of clean air protections, characterizing the actions as promoting the procurement of coal energy at the expense of environmental standards.

In February 2026, Schatz addressed Democratic lobbyists and donors at a retreat, during which he stated that Republican colleagues underestimated the Democratic Party's resolve to reform U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The remarks reflected the senator's engagement with immigration policy debates and party strategy.

Personal Life

Brian Schatz resides in Hawaii with his family. Publicly available biographical records confirm his birth date of October 20, 1972, and his birth in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before his family's relocation to Hawaii. Schatz has maintained ties to his home state throughout his political career, emphasizing his connection to Hawaii's communities and culture in his public service.

His father, Irwin Schatz, had a career in medicine, with records indicating an association with the Mayo Clinic medical education system.

Recognition

Schatz's appointment to the United States Senate was recognized by his alma mater, Pomona College, which issued an announcement highlighting the achievement of one of its alumni. His electoral success in Hawaii, including his nearly 70 percent victory in the 2014 special election and his subsequent reelection campaigns, has reflected broad support from the state's electorate.

His work in the Senate has drawn attention from national media outlets and political observers, particularly his efforts on climate change, healthcare access, and social welfare programs. His role in Senate Democratic leadership as Deputy Secretary of the Democratic Caucus has further elevated his profile within the party.

Legacy

As of 2026, Brian Schatz continues to serve in the United States Senate, representing Hawaii alongside Senator Mazie Hirono. His career trajectory—from state legislator to nonprofit executive to party chairman to lieutenant governor to United States senator—reflects a sustained engagement with public service in Hawaii spanning nearly three decades.

Schatz's appointment to the Senate in 2012 following the death of Daniel Inouye marked a generational transition in Hawaii politics. Inouye had served in the Senate for nearly 50 years, and Schatz's appointment at the age of 40 represented a shift to a younger generation of Hawaiian political leadership. His subsequent electoral victories confirmed his standing with Hawaii's voters and established him as a durable political figure in the state.

In the Senate, Schatz has focused on issues of particular relevance to Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, including climate change adaptation, Native Hawaiian affairs through his work on the Indian Affairs Committee, healthcare access in remote communities, and federal investment in island infrastructure. His legislative work on telehealth, Social Security, and environmental protections reflects a policy agenda centered on social welfare and sustainability. His position within the Senate Democratic leadership structure as Deputy Secretary of the Caucus indicates his growing influence within the party's institutional hierarchy.