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Se. Mazie Hirono has a big day tomorrow. She’ll be be part of a Congress trying to avoid the sequestration cuts due to kick in on Friday. Also, Hirono, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will also be taking a number of votes on gun control.

The committee is slated to vote on four bills being proposed in the wake of the Newton, Ct. shootings:

, which would ban assault weapons. 

, a new provision to the criminal code to make it illegal to purchase firearms on behalf of persons who are prohibited from owning them.

, to expand background checks on gun purchases.

, which would allow the use of school security grants for the installation of surveillance equipment and the establishment of hotlines or tiplines for the reporting of potentially dangerous students and situations.

Though the bills could be ammended, Hirono for now plans to support all four proposals, a spokesman said. And this is what Hirono had to say in a statement:

The legislation I’m supporting does not diminish the ability of Hawaii gun owners to exercise their second amendment right, but instead closes some large loopholes that will make our communities safer. 

As the committee moves to consider the reinstatement of the federal assault weapons ban, strengthen gun trafficking statutes, create grant programs to increase school safety, and universal background checks, I look forward to ensuring school safety and the safety of our keiki.  Additionally, I am hopeful that these legislative initiatives will help to address the problem of bullying and the violent escalations that are so often at the center of these terrible school tragedies.

— Kery Murakami