U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono criticized the Trump administration’s approach to national parks during a Senate floor speech on March 12. Hirono said the administration has removed exhibits and information from park sites, eliminated certain fee-free days, and prioritized oil industry interests over environmental protection.
The issue is significant because national parks serve as places for Americans to learn about both natural beauty and the country’s complex history. Hirono argued that removing historical exhibits erases important context about events such as the internment of Japanese Americans, indigenous massacres, and slavery.
“These exhibits, and others like them, reflect some of the darkest stains on our country’s history. That’s precisely why it’s so important we continue to talk about them. It is by preserving history that we prevent ourselves from repeating the more egregious parts of our past,” Hirono said.
Hirono also drew parallels between past injustices and current immigration enforcement practices, saying, “Doesn’t this sound familiar as this regime goes about arresting and deporting thousands of immigrants without due process, spreading fear and chaos in our communities?”
She further criticized efforts to remove climate change information from park websites, including those related to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. “Americans need to understand what is happening to our environment, so that we can better understand how to protect these natural resources for future generations,” she said.
Hirono concluded by emphasizing the importance of accurate historical representation in national parks: “This regime—as it attempts to rewrite history all over the place, it’s no surprise that they’ve set their sights on our national parks. The millions of visitors to our national parks will not get a full picture. Apparently, that is exactly as this regime intends.”
Hirono provides assistance with federal agency matters such as Social Security claims and veterans benefits according to her official website. She was the first Asian American woman elected to the U.S. Senate according to her official website, having immigrated from Japan to Hawaii with her mother and brother as a child according to her official website. She graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with Phi Beta Kappa honors and earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center according to her official website.
