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Hawaiʻi Sen. Brian Schatz faces a changed political landscape.

With Republicans now holding the U.S. Senate majority and Donald Trump back in the White House, Schatz is navigating a more challenging environment to deliver for Hawaiʻi. Heʻll be leaning on relationships he’s built over the years.

In a recent interview, Schatz acknowledged the difficulty of the new reality but stressed that his strategy would remain consistent.

“I have to be bipartisan when I’m in charge and bipartisan when I’m not in charge,” he said.

By building strong ties with Republican colleagues, particularly those on key appropriations committees, heʻs trying to position himself to advocate for Hawaii’s needs even in a Republican-controlled federal government.

Hawaiʻi has seen tangible benefits from Schatz’s work as a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee and leader of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. Last year, he helped secure more than $6 billion in federal funding, including $1.6 billion in disaster recovery aid for Maui following the devastating fires, as well as investments in housing, broadband, renewable energy and infrastructure.

The recovery on Maui is far from complete, and the state’s housing crisis remains one of its biggest hurdles.

Hawaiʻi’s reliance on federal funding weighs heavily on every member of our congressional delegation. The state’s departments, agencies and institutions regularly receive federal grants, which account for a significant portion of Hawaiʻi’s budget.

According to the , approximately 52% of federal grants support human resources programs in public health, vocational rehabilitation and other social or health services. Public education, including programs at the Department of Education and the University of Hawaiʻi, receives about 23% of these funds. Transportation and highway safety activities account for roughly 9%, primarily for interstate highway construction, while employment programs, such as unemployment compensation, represent another 9%.

In its , the Green administration said the Republican takeover of the White House and Congress “could create instability in the federal budget process and the timely distribution of federal funds to states for critical programs.”

“Funding for significant federal programs could also be dramatically reduced or eliminated, which may require that the State provide funding for the continuation of federal programs that are considered vital,” the administration warned. This concern is , which are also preparing for a possible reduction in federal support.

Schatz remains optimistic about obtaining federal appropriations, particularly through the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

“We feel not overconfident, but confident that the money in the infrastructure law will continue to flow,” he said. “That was a bipartisan bill. And, of course, with Trump, nothing is certain, but I think the threat level for the elimination of that money is medium to medium-low.”

During a recent nomination hearing for Sean Duffy, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Transportation, for assurances that funding decisions would remain free of political interference.

“Infrastructure is not partisan,” Duffy said. “I am committed to working in a bipartisan fashion to make sure we are looking at the best projects and the safest record. I look forward to doing that… We can do that together in Hawaiʻi.”

In the 119th Congress, Schatz ranks 35th for seniority and Hawaiʻi Sen. Mazie Hirono ranks 39th, reflecting their growing influence.

“Entering into the second Trump term, it’s worth being vigilant, bordering on paranoid,” he said. “But I do feel that appropriators have a very specific and very unique role in the Senate. And so, I think we’ll continue to act like the adults in the room.”

Schatz sees potential for cooperation on issues like climate change and housing, though he’s realistic about the limits of bipartisanship in this political climate.

“The philosophy has to be compromise where you can, fight when you must,” he said.

For Schatz, that means finding common ground where possible while staying focused on Hawaiʻi’s needs, even when the national political picture looks grim.

“But I’m going to continue to work my priorities, and the door swings both ways in Washington and so I’m not at all happy with the election results, but my job is not to sulk. My job is to get things done and I will.”

For Hawaiʻi, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and Schatz’s ability to deliver will be critical in the years to come.