Full Name: Brian Schatz

Name on Ballot: Brian Schatz

Age: 43

Political Party: Democrat

Running For: U.S. Senate

Email Address: info@brianschatz.com

Current Job: United States senator

Place of birth: Ann Arbor, Mich.

Campaign website: www.brianschatz.com

Job history past 10 years:

United States senator: 2012-present

Lieutenant governor: 2010-2012

CEO, Helping Hands: 2002-2010

Ever run for public office? If so, when? Outcome?

Elected to state House of Representatives: 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004

Ran unsuccessfully for House of Representatives, 2nd Congressional District: 2006

Elected as chairman, Democratic Party of Hawaii: 2008

Elected as state lieutenant governor: 2010

Elected to United States Senate: 2014

Other civic experience or community service?

Board of directors, Makiki Community Library

Board of directors, Center for a Sustainable Future

Executive director, Youth for Environmental Service

Save Sandy Beach Coalition

What makes you qualified to be a U.S. senator?

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.

Do you support the use of United States combat troops in Syria to defeat ISIS, or to end the rule of President Bashar al-Assad?

Defeating ISIL and severing its control over Syrian territory requires Arab partners working together, not U.S. combat troops on the front lines. Similarly, regional states must work together toward a political solution to end the Syrian civil war; the multiyear violence shows that there is no viable military resolution.

Do you support the continued use of U.S. troops in Iraq, or should those troops be withdrawn?

Local Arab partners and the Iraqi government must lead the fight against ISIL. U.S. military advisers are important to this effort, but we cannot be engaged in combat operations. That is why Congress must revoke the previous war authorization and define our appropriate role in defeating ISIL.

Do you support the continued use of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, or should those troops be withdrawn?

The U.S. must continue to carefully withdraw troops from Afghanistan at a pace based on on assessment of the ground conditions so we do not leave our Afghan partners unable to guarantee long-term security or risk Afghanistan becoming a terrorist safe haven again.

Should the United States recognize a Native Hawaiian government through an administrative rule or an act of Congress?

I support the administrative rules promulgated by the Department of the Interior which permit a Native Hawaiian government to establish a relationship with the U.S. government. If Native Hawaiians form a government consistent with those rules and seek federal recognition, I would likely support the request.

What changes should be made to the federal Affordable Care Act?

The federal government should recognize that Hawaii’s Prepaid Health Care Act (“Prepaid”) satisfies the requirements of the ACA. Consequently, I support the State of Hawaii’s request for a waiver which would permit local employers to satisfy ACA requirements by continuing to provide health insurance coverage under Prepaid policies.

Should the federal government legalize marijuana?

Our national drug policy has failed and must change. 25 states have legalized marijuana, and conflicting state and federal laws prevent necessary research on marijuana’s health impacts. I have introduced legislation to permit additional research, which, will help states and the U.S. federal make better decisions regarding legalization.