31 Most Famous Brian Schatz Quotes

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Senator Brian Emmanuel Schatz is an American politician and educator. He has served as a senior U.S. Senator from Hawaii under the Democrats since 2012.

He was a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1998 till 2006. There, he represented Hawaii’s 25th legislative district. 

He was also the chairman of Hawaii’s Democratic Party. Senator Brian Schatz was born as a twin in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on October 20, 1972. 

When the Senator Brian Schatz twins were two years old, their family moved to Hawaii. Schatz enrolled at Pomona College in California. He spent a term at the School of International Training in Kenya. He later graduated with a B.A. degree in Philosophy in 1994.

Schatz started his political career after returning to Hawaii. He has been active in community services and took jobs at nonprofit organizations. He was the CEO of Hawaii Helping Hands and director of other nonprofit organizations. 

He left Helping Hands to run for lieutenant governor. In 1998, Schatz ran for a seat at the Hawaii House of Representatives. He defeated Republican incumbent Sam Aiona to win the seat. He won again in 2000 and served till 2006.

In 2006, Schatz ran unsuccessfully for a seat at the U.S. House of Representatives elections in Hawaii. Yet, in 2008, he ran for the position of the chair of Hawaii’s Democratic Party. He won the position and served till 2010.

In 2010, Schatz announced his intention to run for lieutenant governor of Hawaii. Several Hawaii labor unions supported and endorsed him for the position. He subsequently won the election in November 2010.

In 2012, Schatz was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Abercrombie. Incumbent Daniel Inouye vacated the seat before his death. But despite Inuoye’s request for Colleen Hanabusa’s appointment, Abercrombie appointed Schatz. 

After completing Inuoye’s term, he was elected again in 2014 and 2016. Schatz has championed healthcare, climate change, and technology reform in the state.

He was a leading advocate on combating climate change. He also supported the Green New Deal and a carbon tax to reduce harmful emissions and pollution. He also sponsored the introduction of a proposal to expand Medicaid into a universal system.

Schatz’s administration also worked on adequate and convenient housing for the people of Hawaii. Apart from all these, he also made legislative decisions on foreign policy, national security, and the economy.

Schatz has always advocated the freedom of speech and life in the senate and even in his sayings. 

In April 2019, Schatz was one of forty-one senators to sign a bipartisan letter to the housing subcommittee praising the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 4 Capacity Building program.

He was one of the earliest supporters of Barack Obama for president, Schatz founded a group with other Hawaii Democrats in December 2006. 

Schatz has championed healthcare, climate change, and technology reform in the state.

He was a leading advocate on combating climate change and proved it with his words and actions. 

You can find out more about the senator here.

Here’s our collection of the best Brian Schatz Quotes:

Brian Schatz Quotes on Politics/Trump/Power

As members of Congress, we have to pursue the Congressional Review Act legislation as soon as possible.

Brian Schatz

One of things I have always been open to is making policy in the Senate Commerce Committee.

Brian Schatz

It’s easy for us to look at another country or another political party and say, ‘Enough! Do better!’. It is a tougher conversation when the problem is in our own tent.

Brian Schatz

It is ok to not have a take, and it is certainly ok to not have a take before polls close.

Brian Schatz

I have served in the Senate since December 2012 with seats on the Appropriations and Commerce committees and previously served as the lieutenant governor and in the state House. These positions provided me insights on Hawaii’s priorities and how to effectively work with stakeholders to achieve meaningful results.

Brian Schatz

We need a CBO score anyway, in order to process the bill through the Parliamentarian on the Senate side. None of what was said was exactly new. The tone alarmed people, but substantively nothing has changed.

Brian Schatz

If there’s ever a vote for single-payer, I’m a ‘yes.’ But there are lots of things we can do in the meantime.

Brian Schatz

House Republicans are going to remove from power anyone who voted for bridges and roads and clean drinking water. They will keep the ones who threaten OTHER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, but voting for infrastructure is unforgivable.

Brian Schatz

One of things I have always been open to is making policy in the Senate Commerce Committee.

Brian Schatz

Infrastructure is bipartisan. And by that I mean that the leader of the Republican Party is endorsing primary opponents of House Republicans who voted yes. So, bipartisan, except for that.

Brian Schatz

Things are much much much better right now than they were a year ago. We have lots of work left to do, but normal people who don’t follow every twist and turn of politics have more money in their pocket and feel much more safe.

Brian Schatz

We all understand that the Affordable Care Act is not working perfectly. In fact, any major piece of legislation like this has to be tweaked over time, has to be improved over time.

Brian Schatz

People in the tech community may not like politics because it seems less interesting or less pure than what they’re doing. But you see the result of not caring about politics. This is no longer an abstract problem.

Brian Schatz

We’ve shown a willingness to do the right thing, and we’ve shown a willingness to work in a bipartisan fashion. The problems are on the Republican side.

Brian Schatz

Brian Schatz Quotes on Environment/Climate

Hawaii feels so passionately about climate. You know, our oceans are warming. As a result, we have more ocean acidification and coral bleaching. You can actually see it.

Brian Schatz

Islands are going to suffer from climate change in very, very difficult ways. And it’s not just Pacific islands. It’s not just Puerto Rico.

Brian Schatz

For several days in July of 2012, Greenland surface ice cover melted more than at any time in 30 years of satellite observation. During that month, an estimated 97% of the ice sheet thawed.

Brian Schatz

We need to pass the Forest Act which bans the importation of commodities derived from illegal deforestation. Leather, beef, soy are imported into the United States and used in everything from cheeseburgers to luxury cars. The United States is driving this problem.

Brian Schatz

The scientific consensus is that climate change is real, urgent, and caused by humans. This science should be both supported and understood by anyone who hopes to lead NASA, one of our nation’s top science agencies.

Brian Schatz

If someone wants to do a carbon fee and someone else wants to do a cap on emissions or a renewable portfolio standard, we don’t start labeling each other as more or less progressive.

Brian Schatz

Americans are worried about climate change because they can already witness its effects. They see its signature in the drought in California, where record heat has dried the state’s fertile soil.

Brian Schatz

While some members of Congress have attempted to stall progress on climate change, their actions amount to little more than political theater. We will not abandon our responsibility to our children and grandchildren, nor will we cede global leadership on the defining issue of our time.

Brian Schatz

Brian Schatz Quotes on Society

To address the open question of whether we are addicted to technological devices and platforms, Congress must understand the current scientific consensus, potential gaps in research, and the best way to build a body of evidence that can inform effective policy making.

Brian Schatz

When we worked with the organization that represents students, they were unequivocal: They want debt-free college. And for many of those students, that has to include the total cost of attendance.

Brian Schatz

Shutting down schools is wrong on public health and wrong on education and it is massively unpopular.

I am really hoping that this doesn’t become a pattern. If the science changes, ok. But kids who are vaccinated should be in school. This strikes me, and perhaps I’m missing something, as an overreaction.

Brian Schatz

The Internet is working because it’s free and open, and there’s no discrimination. Without these rules, ISPs could treat content differently based on commercial interests or even ideology.

Brian Schatz

Brian Schatz Quotes on Business/Economy

Millions of Americans have bad credit because of mistakes from credit agencies, and it can ruin lives, stopping people from getting a job or owning a home or car.

Brian Schatz

5.5 million jobs added this year, and more than 500 thousand last month. Infrastructure bill enacted into law. Broad vaccine deployment and improving economic conditions. Rising incomes. Things are actually getting better and it is ok to admit it.

Brian Schatz

Telecom companies are doing very, very well. And the internet economy is doing very, very well.

Brian Schatz

I think it’s telling that we have a bunch of so called experts in the field of economics treating rising wages like it’s some sort of skin rash to be immediately treated.

Brian Schatz

There is no lack of profitability or investment among these telecommunications companies. There is nothing that an open-internet order did to them that diminished their success.

Brian Schatz

The passage of this infrastructure bill is an enormous substantive and political accomplishment and big jobs numbers show that democratic economic plan is working. It might be time for some cautious optimism.

Brian Schatz

Brian Schatz Quotes on Law & Order

America’s brightest minds are charting a course to a clean energy future that will provide for our health, safety, and prosperity.

Brian Schatz

There is a growing consensus in the private sector that companies can and should take action to address the problem of gun violence in our country.

Brian Schatz

Brian Schatz Quotes On Health Care

America’s brightest minds are charting a course to a clean energy future that will provide for our health, safety, and prosperity.

Brian Schatz

With health care, somebody at some point decided that there was a bright line and that you had to pick sides. Well, I reject that view.

Brian Schatz

Health care has gotten really weird politically. We’ve sort of tied ourselves in knots on this issue in a way that we don’t do… for criminal-justice reform or tax policy or climate policy.

Brian Schatz

Our objective should be to have a competition of ideas… I think it’s a golden age in terms of policy ideas when it comes to Democrats and health care.

Brian Schatz

Brian Schatz Quotes on Rights/Justice/Constitution

The Internet is working because it’s free and open, and there’s no discrimination. Without these rules, ISPs could treat content differently based on commercial interests or even ideology.

Brian Schatz

The road to autocracy is paved with overly chill responses from people who would see this all with great clarity if only it were happening in a faraway place.

Brian Schatz

The principal going forward is that in exchange for helping, even indirectly, the country to uphold its full faith and credit, you get absolutely nothing. Just like you don’t give an employee a promotion or a raise for showing up for work in the morning.

Brian Schatz

Other Brian Schatz Quotes

Everyone has to run their own race and make their own decisions.

Brian Schatz

I just believe strongly that anybody who wants to pursue additional education after high school ought to be given that chance.

Brian Schatz

Anybody who thinks that they should lead the country should go ahead and put their hat in the ring. I am not among them. And I want to be unequivocal about that. There are no circumstances. I don’t want to be coy about this.

Brian Schatz

Summary

I hope you have enjoyed our collection of some of the best Brian Schatz quotes! 

Don’t forget to share them on social media with your friends and family.

As a reminder, you can contact the senator here.

Stay strong!


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Sabrina is a former campaign manager who has decided to focus her effort to help people contact senators and get help. She leads our Editorial Team with Ronald and Lawrence to curate content and resources that help us navigate the system.

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