itself". Schatz twice voted to impeach Trump. Leadership positions Chief Deputy Whip Co-chair, Senate Climate Change Task Force Chair, Senate Democratic Special Committee on the Climate Crisis Member, Board of Trustees for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship foundation Committee assignments Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Defense Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (Chair) Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Foreign Relations Committee on Indian Affairs (Chair) Select Committee on Ethics Caucus memberships Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus Expand Social Security Caucus Political positions According to New York magazine, Schatz is a progressive but not a "Sanders-style bomb-thrower." He was characterized as a low-profile yet highly influential senator in pushing fellow Democrats to adopt progressive policy positions. The American Conservative Union gave him a 3% lifetime conservative rating in 2013. Abortion Schatz is pro-choice. He supports access to legal abortion without restrictions. NARAL Pro-Choice America gave him a 100% rating. Budget and economy Schatz supports income tax increases to balance the budget and federal spending to support economic growth. Civil rights Schatz supports same-sex marriage. He sponsored legislation in 2015 to allow married gay couples to have equal access to the veterans benefits and Social Security they have earned. Schatz supports LGBTQ+ rights and same-sex marriage. He received a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign. Drugs Schatz stopped short of calling for the legalization of marijuana in Hawaii in 2014, and has called for the criminalization of date-rape drugs. In 2016, he advocated for immunity for banks offering services to marijuana businesses. Economy To encourage tourism in West Hawaii, Schatz proposed that customs begin in Japan so that planes can arrive in West Hawaii as domestic flights. Environment In March 2014, Schatz was a lead organizer of an overnight talkathon devoted to discussing climate change. The gathering of over two dozen Senate Democrats took place on the Senate floor. The League of Conservation Voters supported the talkathon and ran campaign ads on Schatz's behalf. He has received a perfect score from the League of Conservation Voters. In 2019, Schatz voiced his support for both a Green New Deal