Press Releases

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, announced that the U.S. House today passed, on a bipartisan vote of 339 to 85, a $565 billion measure for the current fiscal year that prevents a partial shutdown of the federal government.

The bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, which includes six of Congress’ normal twelve annual appropriations bills,  contains billions in Case-requested assistance for Hawai‘i, including $49 million directed to fourteen specific needs under Community Project Funding (CPF).

“Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle worked together to avoid a government shutdown and fund programs critical to our country, our state, our communities and our families,” said Case.

Some of the provisions of special interest to Hawai‘i and for which Case advocated throughout the FY 2024 appropriations process include:

•        $1.4 billion to continue constructing a new dry dock at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Hawaii’s largest industrial employer with some 6,000 local employees.

•        $713 million, an increase of $13 million above FY 2023, for Violence Against Women Act programs.

•        Legislative language directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop wildland-urban interface risk metrics to mitigate wildfire risks.

•        $22.3 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG), which supports the building, acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable homes.

•        $33 billion for child nutrition programs, a $4.5 billion increase over FY 2023 for the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Programs and other important programs.

•        $4.8 million for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s State of the Birds Activities to help protect critically endangered birds that face potential extinction.

•        $3.1 billion for veterans’ homelessness programs.

•        $4.7 million for Japanese Confinement Site Grants and funding for the newly authorized Amache National Historic Site, which was one of ten World War II incarceration sites used to detain Japanese Americans. 

•        $50 million for the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, which supports partnerships between law enforcement and the communities they serve to address violence intervention and prevention programs, including gang and gun violence.

•        $67 million for the Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas Program, including the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

“I was also able to provide millions for fourteen worthy local community projects that would have difficulty being completed if not for specific and direct funding from Congress.”

Case’s CPF projects are listed below:

•        $8.7 million for pedestrian safety improvements in Waipahu, Kalihi, urban Honolulu and Wai‘anae

•        $1.3 million for food storage equipment and various repairs at The Pantry Food Bank.

•        $1.5 million for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii’s new headquarters.

•        $1.9 million for renovations at the Hale Aloha apartment building that helps single mothers with children who need stable and affordable housing.

•        $963,000 for the University of Mānoa Department of Public Safety’s Community Safety Network Integration.

•        $700,000 for limu cultivation research and development at the Ānuenue Fisheries Research Center.

•        $959,757 to the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources for deep water monitoring wells in Wai‘alae East and Wai‘anae.

•        $959,757 to the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources to conduct a statewide water security audit of over 50 public water systems. The audit will help small systems identify and address efficiency issues, including leak detection, water meter testing and calibration, water meter replacement and meter installation for unmetered systems.

•        $959,757 for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply for Kahilinai Place and ‘Aiea Heights Drive Area Water System to help replace 3,900 linear feet of critical aging potable waterline infrastructure segments at the end of their useful life.

•        $5.4 million to begin initial work to build a new air traffic control tower to support Wheeler Army Airfield and general aviation in central O‘ahu.

•        $23 million for a drinking clearwell and booster pump at Fort Shafter.

•        $1 million for the Honolulu Career and Learning Center for Goodwill Hawai‘i

•        $940,600 for an outdoor multi-purpose community facility for Special Olympics Hawai‘i.

•        $500,000 for the Waikīkī Beach Environmental Restoration and Coastal Storm Risk Management Project.

“In preparing my own CPF requests, I consulted with Hawai‘i state and county governments and non-profits, applied my own knowledge and beliefs as to district needs, considered whether a project could obtain federal funding through other means, and made some difficult decisions given my limited number of CPF requests.”

The House’s CPF rules require that each project must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed by the requesting Member, and is subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office. Case’s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/media/funding-disclosures.htm.

The bill would also enact new Compacts of Free Association with the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The measure further includes provisions to extend federal benefits to citizens from these countries who reside in Hawai‘i and elsewhere in the United States. These provisions are from the Compact Impact Fairness Act, a bill co-introduced last year by Case and Congressman Steve Womack (R-AR-03) that, along with a companion measure by Senator Mazie Hirono, called for the restoration of a range of federal benefits that provide relief to states like Hawai‘i with large communities of Freely Associated States (FAS) citizens. For information, please read Case’s recent press release here.

The House is working to enact its twelve annual funding bills before the end of the month. Today’s package includes six bills: Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS); Energy and Water; Interior and Environment; Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (VA) and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It now moves to the Senate for consideration and expected approval and enactment by the President by this weekend. Next week the House is expected to consider the remaining six appropriations bills.

A summary of other Case-requested and supported provisions in the major sections of the funding measure follows:

Military Construction and VA

The FY 2024 Military Construction, VA and Related Agencies Appropriations sections of the bill fund construction and maintenance of our defense facilities throughout the country and world, our national cemeteries and battle monuments, the VA and various small agencies and programs supporting our nation's some 19 million veterans and their families. The discretionary funding level is $153.9 billion, a decrease of $248 million over the FY 2023 enacted level.

Military Construction

The bill provides $18.6 billion for Department of Defense (DoD) military construction and family housing, more than $2 billion above the FY 2024 budget request.

The bill includes two CPF requests from Case that will support the military in Hawai‘i - $5.4 million to begin initial work to build an air traffic control tower supporting Wheeler Army Airfield and general aviation in central O‘ahu, as well as $23 million to upgrade the drinking water clearwell and booster pump at Fort Shafter.

The bill provides an additional $2.3 billion for the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP), an increase of $164 million above the FY 2024 budget request. SIOP is a $21 billion multi-year effort to upgrade the Navy’s four public shipyards, including Pearl Harbor. The bill specifically includes $1.4 billion to construct a new dry dock at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Hawaii’s largest industrial employer with some 6,000 local employees.

“Keeping SIOP on track and fully funded is one of my top priorities on my Appropriations Committee,” said Case.

Specific military construction programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·        $1.6 billion for infrastructure related to the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and $131 million specifically for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command projects.

·        $548 million for the Energy Resiliency and Conservation Investment Program.

·        $63.1 million for Air National Guard and $73 million for Army National Guard unspecified minor military construction.

·        $49 million in planning and design funds for a new facility to provide better working conditions for the Pearl Harbor shipyard workforce.

·        Directing the DoD to address underfunded and dilapidated Army infrastructure on O‘ahu via the Hawai‘i Infrastructure Readiness Initiative.

·        Directing the Comptroller General to conduct an audit and provide recommendations to improve the management and oversight of SIOP.

·        Directing the Navy to assess how to best utilize SIOP to prepare public shipyards for conflict.

·        Directing the Navy and Air Force to develop a plan to address the infrastructure backlog on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

·        Requesting the results of the Defense Health Agency’s Hawai‘i Market Facilities Master Plan.

·        Directing the DoD to assess military construction and associated infrastructure needs to maximize the effectiveness of an enhanced posture in and alliance with the Philippines.

Veterans-Related Programs

The bill provides $182.3 billion for veterans-related programs, $15 billion above the FY 2024 budget request. It specifically includes $138.1 billion for veterans’ medical care, matching the FY 2024 budget request.

“With some 112,000 veterans in Hawai‘i and their families making up one of the largest percentages of any state in our nation including in such key areas like women and minority veterans, I focused especially on the often-unique challenges of delivering full veterans’ health and other benefits in a diverse island state,” said Case.

Under the bill, the VA could also provide services to veterans residing in the FAS, including through direct care from VA providers, such as via telehealth, or through contracts with community providers; shipping medications to the FAS; and reimbursing veterans for travel from their home countries to the United States.

The bill specifically includes $990 million to meet the need for specific care for women veterans and support the Office of Women’s Health, including its childcare initiative. These funds will allow the VA to continue hiring women primary care providers and to increase the number of peer support specialists for women veterans. These efforts have become even more critical as the number of female veterans using VA health care services has increased.

Other specific veterans-related programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

•              $287 million for the Board of Veterans Appeals, which is $2 million above the prior FY and requires quarterly reporting on all pending appeals.

•              $3 million for the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program, which assists Native Hawaiian veterans with housing needs and is $1.3 million above the FY 2023 enacted level.

•              $60 million for the VA Grants for the Construction of Veterans Cemeteries Program.

•              $715 million for opioid treatment and prevention efforts, which is $52 million above the FY 2023 enacted level.

•              $5.1 billion for Telehealth and Connected Care. This will continue the expansion of telehealth services and includes additional mental health, primary care and rehabilitation services.

•              $3.1 billion for the Veterans’ Homelessness Program Resources Programs for our nation’s veterans. This funding will enhance homeless veterans service providers ability to provide high demand care such as health services, substance use disorder programs, compensated work therapy and other supportive services.

•              $110 million for the Veterans Justice Outreach and Legal Services for Veterans Programs.

•              $342 million for Rural Health Initiatives, an increase of $5 million above the FY 2023 enacted level. This will improve access and quality of care for the more than 3 million enrolled veterans residing in highly rural areas.

•              Directing the VA to build upon and establish new community partnerships with counseling and wellness providers and marriage and family therapy for veterans and their families.

•              Continuing rigorous reporting requirements to track each regional VA office’s performance on claims processing and appeals backlogs.

•              Encouraging the VA to include veteran benefit usage into its annual suicide prevention report to enable a better understanding of the correlation between benefit use and suicide and allow for more effective programs to assist veterans.

•              Directing the VA to provide a report describing an outreach plan to extend the time limit for accepting initial and revised applications for a sufficient period to ensure all eligible, living WWII Filipino Veterans can apply for and receive the benefits they are entitled to receive.

•              Noting the success of the tiny home village model by multiple veterans service organizations and encouraging VA to support this work and facilitate the creation of additional villages of tiny homes within VA’s existing Grants Per Diem Program.

•              Requesting a report on a plan to improve access of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) veterans to mental health care and increase outreach to AANHPI veterans who have a lower use of VA and non-VA mental health services.

•              Directing the Office of Rural Health to increase efforts to improve transportation mobility for veterans and to allocate funding to enhance rural access and transportation services and to ensure the new beneficiary travel system is user-friendly and that staff are trained to provide assistance.

•              Urging the VA to implement mandatory lethal means safety trainings for all VA employees who regularly interact with veterans to be prepared to have a conversation that could save a veteran’s life.

A summary of the Military Construction-VA and Related Agencies Appropriations is here.

Transportation-HUD and Related Agencies

The Transportation-HUD and Related Agencies Appropriations bill supports HUD, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and Department of Transportation, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This bill’s FY 2024 discretionary funding level is $103 billion or $1.7 billion above the FY 2023 level.

“My Appropriations Committee confronted the everyday challenges this bill covers across our country and provided the funds necessary to address our crumbling infrastructure as well as the lack of affordable housing,” said Case.

The bill also includes Case’s CPF requests to fund six projects in his Congressional district totaling more than $15 million including:

•              $1.5 million for Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii’s new headquarters building.

•              $1.9 million for renovations at the Hale Aloha apartment building that helps single mothers with children who need stable and affordable housing.

•              $1.0 million for the Honolulu Career and Learning Center for Goodwill Hawai‘i.

•              $8.7 million for the pedestrian safety improvements in Waipahu, Kalihi, urban Honolulu and Wai‘anae

•              $940,600 for a new outdoor multi-purpose community facility for Special Olympics Hawai‘i.

•              $1.3 million for food storage equipment and various repairs at The Pantry Food Bank.

Other transportation and infrastructure programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·        $941 million for the Maritime Administration, including $318 million for the Maritime Security Program, $120 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program and $8.8 million for assistance to small shipyards like Kalaeloa/Barbers Point.

·        $60.8 billion for the Federal Highway Administration to improve the safety and long-term viability of our highways.

·        $16.6 billion for the Federal Transit Administration.

·        $20.1 billion for the FAA, including $12.7 billion to fully fund air traffic control operations and allow the FAA to hire 1,800 air traffic controllers to replace the retiring workforce.

The bill includes the following provisions to improve access to affordable housing:

·        $22.3 million for the NHHBG, which supports the building, acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable homes.

·        Language directing HUD to provide technical assistance to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in developing and executing plans to meet the housing needs of low-income Native Hawaiians.

·        $16 billion for project-based rental assistance.

·        $6.7 billion for the Community Development Fund.

·        $4 billion for the Homeless Assistance Grants.

·        $60 million for the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program.

·        $1.3 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program to support building and rehabilitating affordable housing.

·        $10 million for core housing research partnerships with Native Hawaiian serving institutions among other minority serving institutions.

A summary of the Transportation, HUD and Related Agencies Appropriations is here.

Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies

This bill would provide $26.3 billion, a 3 percent increase, for the Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies Appropriations sections of the bill. These funds support the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Credit Administration, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the FDA.

“My Committee’s agriculture funding bill recognized that dangers that invasive species pose to our Hawaii’s unique ecosystems, natural resources and agricultural communities,” said Case. “The bill provides resources and the federal focus needed to help Hawai‘i combat Coffee Leaf Rust, the Coffee Berry Borer, the Avocado Lace Bug and other invasive species.”

Case was able to secure a number of programs and provisions including:

·        $1.2 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, including $215 million for combating specialty crop pests.

·        $35.5 million for Agriculture Quarantine Inspections to prevent infestations of pests and diseases.

·        $15 million for the Minor Crop Pest Management Program to provide expert assistance to minor and specialty crop producers.

·        $3.5 million for Agricultural Canine Detection and Surveillance of invasive species and diseases, an increase of $500,000.

·        $122 billion for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

·        $33 billion for child nutrition programs, a $4.5 billion increase over FY 2023, which includes the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and Summer Food Service Programs

·        $389 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides food to low-income seniors.

·        $5 million for Micro-Grants for Food Security, which assists our state in increasing the quantity and quality of locally grown food.

·        $123 million for the USDA Wildlife Damage Management Program.

·        $50 million for loans authorized in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.

·        $24.6 million for Rural Cooperative Development Grants, including $11.5 million for the Value-added Agricultural Product Market Development Grant Program.

·        $10 million for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

·        $7 million for the Grassroots Source Water Protection Program that is designed to prevent water source pollution.

·        $2 million for aquaculture research programs and recognition of the essential role the program plays in regional aquaculture centers.

·        $3.5 million for the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment Program for geographically disadvantaged farmers.

·        $1.6 billion for the Rental Assistance Program.

·        $90 million in ReConnect funding to meet continued strong demand to provide loans, grants and loan-grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas.

·        Maintenance of funding for coffee research to address the threats of Coffee Leaf Rust and Coffee Berry Borer on our iconic coffee industry.

·        Recognition of the critical need for continued tropical and subtropical crops research.

·        Maintenance of funding for research on the macadamia felted coccid.

·        $5 million for Education Grants for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions, the first increase for this vital program in years. This program addresses the educational needs of food and agricultural sciences-related disciplines and prepares low-income students for careers related to food, agricultural and natural resources.

The measure also provides:

·        Provides $90.6 million for the Economic Research Service.

·        Recognizes the importance of continuing to support combatting invasive species in the Indo-Pacific.

·        Protects the current funding level for the macadamia tree health research initiative.

·        Directs the Agricultural Research Service to ensure each of its facilities housing animals are adhering to the Animal Welfare Act at all times.

·        Continues to support coordinated research efforts to address the impact of the Avocado Lace Bug.

·        Supports strategies to mitigate the impact of axis deer on native forests.

A summary of the agriculture section of the bill is here.

Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Bill

The Interior, Environment and Related Appropriations bill funds the U.S. Department of the Interior, including the National Parks Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service and various independent agencies including the National Endowments on Arts and the Humanities. The bill’s FY 2024 discretionary funding level is $38.9 billion, or $1.5 billion below the FY 2023.

The bill includes the following CPF requests from Case totaling $2.8 million:

•              $959,757 to the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources for deep water monitoring wells in Wai‘alae East and Wai‘anae.

•              $959,757 to the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources to conduct a statewide water security audit of over 50 public water systems. The audit will help small systems identify and address efficiency issues, including leak detection, water meter testing and calibration, water meter replacement and meter installation for unmetered systems.

•              $959,757 for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply for Kahilinai Place and ‘Aiea Heights Drive Area Water System to help replace 3,900 linear feet of critical aging potable waterline infrastructure segments at the end of their useful life.

The Interior bill also includes the following funding requested and secured by Case:

·        $5 million for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s State of the Birds Activities to respond to the urgent needs of critically endangered birds that now face possible extinction. These funds will help save numerous endemic birds in Hawai‘i that have been devastated by climate change and avian malaria. 

·        $45 million for the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program.

·        $33 million for a long-deferred water infrastructure project at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

·        $9 million for the NPS to replace aging fuel tanks in Kalaupapa National Historic Park.

·        $63 million for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Climate Adaptation Science Centers, which includes the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center based out of the University of Hawai‘i-Mānoa. These centers provide regionally relevant scientific information, tools and techniques to resource managers and communities in Hawai‘i in response to our changing climate.

·        $3 million for the NPS American Indian and Native Hawaiian Art and Culture Grants Program.

·        $62 million for State Historic Preservation Offices, which will help preserve Hawaii’s treasured historic properties.

·        $5 million for Japanese Confinement Site Grants and funding for the newly authorized Amache National Historic Site, which was one of ten incarceration sites established by the War Relocation Authority during World War II to detain Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their communities on the West Coast. 

A summary of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations is here.

Energy and Water Bill

The bill’s Energy and Water section funds the Department of Energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) civil works programs, the Bureau of Reclamation and agencies focused on nuclear energy. The bill’s discretionary funding level is $58.2 billion, a decrease of $2.6 billion from the FY 2023 enacted level.

The bill also includes Case’s $500,00 CPF request to fund a Waikīkī Beach Environmental Restoration and Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study. The work will be performed by the USACE.

Other energy and water related programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·        Language directing the USACE to assist indigenous communities in coastal areas, including Native Hawaiians, as well as other vulnerable coastal communities to address coastal resiliency and flooding.

·        $10 million for USACE’s Coastal Ocean Data System, which funds high-resolution observations and models of coastal ocean waves and shoreline change.

·        $35 million for flood control and coastal emergencies efforts.

·        $50 million for hydrogen and fuel cell technology development.

·        $8 million for aquatic ecosystem restoration.

·        $460 million for Advanced Research Projects for Energy Technologies Programs.

·        $141 million for marine power technology development.

·        $10 million for the USACE’s National Coastal Mapping Program.

·        $1 million for the USACE’s beach erosion and hurricane damage reduction activities.

A summary of the energy and water provisions is here.

CJS and Related Agencies

The CJS and Related Agencies Appropriations section of the bill supports the U.S. Department of Commerce, including the International Trade Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology; the U.S. Department of Justice; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); the National Science Foundation (NSF) and more. The bill’s discretionary funding level is $81.8 billion, a decrease of $2.4 billion.

The bill includes Case’s CPF request to fund a state project to support native limu restoration efforts. This project will maintain a repository of culturally and ecologically important limu for seed stock.

Case was also able to secure a funding to help the University of Hawai‘i with a program to ensure the safety and security of the more than 18,000 students on its Mānoa campus.

This project will allow the university to build a platform that will integrate security camera feeds, alarms and emergency notifications from surrounding areas and community partners.

“Rising crime, both related and unrelated to gun violence, is of great concern to us all, and must be combatted at all levels of government,” said Case.

“State and local law enforcement need increased assistance from our federal government to address crime at the state and local level. The more than $4.5 billion in the bill to help local and state law enforcement will help not only to investigate and prosecute crime but will also go to prevention and education programs to stop crime before it happens.”

The FY 2024 funding bill makes major investments in federal, state and local law enforcement programs. These include:

·        $924 million for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (Byrne-JAG). Byrne-JAG is the leading federal source of criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. The funds can be used to support a range of program areas including law enforcement; prosecution and court; prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; drug treatment and enforcement; planning, evaluation and technology improvement; and crime victim and witness initiatives.

·        $713 million, an increase of $13 million above FY 2023, for Violence Against Women Act programs. These programs support comprehensive, cost-effective responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking.

·        $665 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Grants. The COPS program is designed to provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire additional career law enforcement officers to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.

·        $50 million for the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, which supports partnerships between law enforcement and the communities they serve to address violence intervention and prevention programs, including gang and gun violence.

·        $88 million for grants to help state governments improve their submissions into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for gun purchases.

·        $52 million for grants to reduce the sexual assault kit backlog.

·        $51 million for the Anti-Methamphetamine and Anti-Heroin Task Forces.

·        $38 billion for the Department of Justice, including $11 billion for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and $844 million for the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Science Provisions

“Our funding measure also focuses on our flagship national science programs, which translate into world-leading research and development and science and high-tech engineering projects in our Hawai‘i.

“The bill ensures that young people across our country can pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-related education to lead innovation and contribute to a better economy back home,” said Case.

The FY 2024 bill’s investments in science include:

·        $25 million to support facilities like the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on the Island of Maui, the world’s most advanced solar observatory.

·        An increase of $1.2 million to support the maintenance and needed repairs at the Atmospheric Baseline Observatories, including the Mauna Loa Observatory where the famous Keeling Curve proving rapid climate change was developed.

·        $144 million for STEM Engagement Programs, an increase of $7 million above the FY 2024 enacted level, to inspire young people to pursue future careers in science and engineering.

This includes $45 million for NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project, which funds Hawai‘i STEM programs.

·        $9 billion for the NSF.

·        $8 billion for science programs at NASA to continue efforts to explore the solar system, other planets and other solar systems. Among other things, this will support space telescopes and efforts to gain scientific knowledge about the Earth’s changing climate.

·        Language directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop wildland-urban interface risk metrics to mitigate wildfire risk to communities.

Oceans Provisions

The FY 2024 bill’s investments in the oceans and coastal communities include:

·        $175 million for the protection, research and management of marine mammals, sea turtles and other ocean species.

·        $80 million for the Sea Grant Program, which supports coastal and Great Lakes communities through research, extension and education. These funds help support the Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program at the University of Hawaiʻi that concentrates on promoting healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient communities and economies and environmental literacy and workforce development.

·        $67 million for the Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas Program, including the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

·        $34 million for the Coral Reef Conservation Program.

Commerce Department Provisions

The bill also included Case’s requests for several key U.S. Department of Commerce programs, including:

·        $560 million for the Legal Services Corporation, which helps ensure equal access to justice under the law for all Americans by providing funding for civil legal aid through organizations like Legal Aid Hawai‘i to those who otherwise would be unable to afford it.

·        $175 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program. This public-private partnership has centers in all 50 states, including Hawaiʻi, dedicated to serving small and medium-sized manufacturers.

·        $70 million for the Minority Business Development Agency. This includes $5 million specifically for Native American Business Development Program that awards grants to Tribes and American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian populations to address barriers to economic development.

·        $455 million for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an increase of $35 million.

·        $122 million for the International Trade Commission, an increase of $12 million.

A summary of the CJS and Related Agencies Appropriations funding bill is here.

Case’s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating some $1.7 trillion in funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis. Case and his Appropriations Committee are already working on the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations process.

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