REPORT FROM EMILY’S LIST – WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed Colleen Hanabusa for the United States Senate.
“Colleen Hanabusa is an experienced progressive champion who has spent her career serving the people of Hawai’i with passion and integrity,” said Stephanie Schriock, President of EMILY’s List. “She’s a glass ceiling breaker who was the first woman in Hawai’i, and first Asian American woman in the country, to lead a state legislative chamber. Hawai’i has a rich tradition of women’s leadership and EMILY’s List is proud to have helped Colleen be a part of it. Now the EMILY’s List community is ready to fight for her every step of the way so that she can take her place as a senator from Hawai’i. Colleen is the right choice for women and families in Hawai’i, and EMILY’s List won’t stop until she shatters yet another glass ceiling by making Hawai’i the fourth state to send two women to the United States Senate.”
A fourth-generation American and lifelong Hawaiian, Colleen Hanabusa has been a dedicated public servant in her home state of Hawai’i for over three decades. Hanabusa began her career as an attorney, and was elected to represent the 21st district in the Hawai’i State Senate in 1998. During her tenure she fought to expand birth control coverage, protected the rights of victims of sexual assault, and defended the rights of workers to organize. She was elected President of the Senate in 2007, becoming the first woman to lead either house in the state legislature, as well as the first Asian American woman in the country to lead a legislative chamber. Hanabusa was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2010. Since being elected to serve Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District, Hanabusa has been unwavering in her support for women and families. She has protected a woman’s right to make her own healthcare choices, is an avid supporter of fostering sustainability in Hawai’i, has helped acquire more than $117 million in education funding for Hawaiian public schools, and has fought to project jobs for the people of Hawai’i. Hanabusa is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and is a ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee. She lives in Honolulu with her husband John Souza.
Hawai’i has a remarkable legacy of electing pro-choice Democratic women who know how to get things done in Congress, and EMILY’s List is thrilled to have been a part of their campaigns. From electing Patsy Mink who co-authored the historic Title IX legislation, to the more recent victories of progressive champions Mazie Hirono and Tulsi Gabbard, Hawai’i has been on the forefront of holding Washington accountable by choosing leaders who know how to get things done for women and families.
During the 2011- 2012 election cycle, EMILY’s List helped elect an historic number of candidates – the only pro-choice Democratic woman governor in the country, 19 new women to the House, six Senate incumbents, and three new Senators – all the first women to represent their states in the Senate. And this cycle, women we’ve helped elect include the first Hindu and first female combat veterans to serve in the House, the first openly gay Senator, and the first Asian American woman to serve in the Senate. With a community that has quintupled since 2010 – now more than two million members strong – EMILY’s List is one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY’s List has worked to elect 101 pro-choice Democratic women to the House, 19 to the Senate, 10 governors, and over five hundred women to state and local office. In the 2011-2012 cycle, EMILY’s List had the largest number of members and donors in our 28 year history, and raised a record-breaking $52 million dollars.
For more information on EMILY’s List, please visit www.emilyslist.org.
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