Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii, 1st Congressional District)

Colleen Hanabusa

NOW/PAC is pleased to endorse Colleen Hanabusa, who is running for the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 1st Congressional District. She is running to fill an open seat vacated by Neil Abercrombie, who intends to run for governor. The Special Election might be as early as May.

Hanabusa has excelled as a labor lawyer, was elected to the Hawaii State Senate in 1998, and has been serving as the body's president since 2007. She is the first woman to lead either house in Hawaii and the first Asian-American to lead a state legislative body.

On her website, Hanabusa defends her status as a tita (a Hawaiian word that describes a strong woman who is not afraid of challenge). "You know, people think of me as a tita . . . Maybe it's true. I think of a tita as someone who is not afraid to stand up and express her views, someone who will advocate for what is important and not accept 'that's the way it's always been done' as an answer. It's someone who cares enough to make whatever effort it takes to get to the right solution." NOW/PAC agrees with her.

Hanabusa stands on a platform that strongly advocates for health care reform that does not limit a woman's reproductive freedom. In the past she has helped stop a parental consent bill and a fetal rights bill while still in committee and has voted in favor of legislation that prohibits the state from interfering with a woman's right to abortion. She also voted in favor of a bill requiring comprehensive sex education when using state funds. Lastly, she is in favor of the state allowing emergency contraception for survivors of sexual assault and for insurance companies to cover birth control.

Hanabusa also is in favor of LGBT rights, including civil unions that include heterosexual couples, equal benefits for same-sex couples, marriage equality, and the repeal of Defense of Marriage Act.

For more information please visit her campaign site.

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