Rep. Colleen Hanabusa

Colleen Hanabusa represents Hawaii's First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a yonsei, fourth generation American of Japanese ancestry, whose grandparents were interned during World War II, she is committed to providing for the people of Hawaii while preserving the unique values and traditions that define the Aloha spirit. Before running for public office, Congresswoman Hanabusa worked as an attorney fighting for Hawaii's communities and labor rights. In 1998, she was elected to the Hawaii State Senate, and in 2006, was elected President of the Senate – becoming the first woman to lead either house of the Hawai’i state legislature and the first Asian American woman in the nation to head a state legislative body. She is currently serving her second term in Congress where she sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources.