Rep. Tokuda Secures Critical Funding for Hawaiʻi in Minibus Package

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) voted in favor of a bipartisan minibus package that includes three funding bills for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Energy, Interior and Science agencies. The legislation, which passed the House by a vote of 397-28 now goes to the Senate.

"This funding package takes a critical step toward fully funding the government and delivers real investments in clean water, research, jobs, and public safety that strengthen Hawaiʻi's communities," said Rep. Tokuda. "At a time when people are already worried about making ends meet, they should not be burdened with the added instability of another government shutdown. I will continue to fight for the economic certainty and security that all Americans deserve."

The measure includes the following Community Project Funding secured by Rep. Tokuda:

• $1,092,000 for the County of Kauaʻi to build a new one-million-gallon water storage tank in Kīlauea and replace the aging 100,000-gallon tank with a larger, modern facility.
• $1,092,000 for the County of Maui to upgrade the Lahaina Water Treatment Plant by rehabilitating waterlines, modernizing source wells, and adding backup water storage.
• $995,000 for the University of Hawai'i at Hilo to purchase new spectrometry equipment for the Volcano Monitoring and Geoarchaeology Laboratory.
• $775,000 for the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Research to develop the Wailoa Fisheries Research Station in Hilo into an aquaculture accelerator, supporting the growth of Hawai'i's aquaculture industry.

The legislation also enacts provisions from Rep. Tokuda's Native Arts and Culture Promotion Act to streamline the grant application process and eliminate outdated signatory requirements that have prevented Native Hawaiian-serving organizations from accessing funding through the Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Development Grant Program.

Programmatic funding that directly benefits Hawaiʻi organizations and programs includes:

• $6.2B for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, supporting Hawaiʻi's fisheries management, coral reef restoration, climate resilience, and coastal hazard mitigation, protecting both natural resources and Native Hawaiian subsistence and cultural practices.
• $3.3B for the National Park Service, funding the protection and maintenance of Hawaiʻi's national parks, trails, and cultural sites, preserving sacred and historic locations important to Native Hawaiian communities and tourism.
• $720M for Violence Against Women Act grants, which provides for shelter, counseling, and legal aid for survivors, including culturally informed services for Native Hawaiian women and families.
• $375M for Juvenile Justice grants, which helps the State of Hawaiʻi develop youth diversion programs, restorative justice initiatives, and culturally sensitive rehabilitation programs for Native Hawaiian and other at-risk youth.
• $207M for the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, which provide grants to Hawaiʻi-based artists, cultural organizations, and educational programs.
• $50M for the Minority Business Development Agency, which provides technical assistance, training, and funding that helps Native Hawaiian and other minority-owned businesses grow, access capital, and strengthen Hawaiʻi's economy.
• $2.75M for the Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development Grant Program.
• $1.9M to help protect Hawaiian forest birds such as 'i'iwi and 'ākepa.

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