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I am deeply honored to represent some 108,000 Hawai‘i veterans and their families. This is a responsibility I take very seriously, especially as our veterans ‘ohana is one of the largest percentages of any state in our nation both overall and in key areas like women and minority veterans and delivery of services is often complicated by our unique qualities.
As a result, our veterans community sometimes faces unique challenges in Hawai‘i and throughout the Pacific that require targeted advocacy with our federal government and tailored solutions. I am especially able to address these issues and the broader challenges facing all of our country’s veterans as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, which has responsibility for overseeing and funding of all of our federal veterans programs. My focus areas are:
Addressing Hawai‘i Veterans’ Needs Hawaii’s veterans often face unique challenges that others on the mainland don’t have to face. It is my priority to tackle these issues head-on. Below are four examples:
Strengthening Veterans’ Healthcare An efficient and effective veterans' healthcare system is critical to keeping our nation’s promises to our veterans, yet too often veterans do not receive the help they desperately need. To help keep our promises, as a Member of the House Appropriations Committee, for Fiscal Year 2027 I helped draft legislation that would provide $137 billion in discretionary spending for veterans-related programs, an increase of $4 billion above the Fiscal Year 2026 enacted level. This included increases for mental preventative health and wellness, gender-specific healthcare, telehealth access and substance-use disorder efforts.
In efforts to improve veterans’ healthcare infrastructure in Hawaii, I worked to drive to complete the Daniel Kahikina Akaka Department of Veterans Affairs Community-based Outpatient Clinic. On April 5, 2024, the $130 million, 88,675 square-foot multi-specialty outpatient clinic opened. It now provides primary and mental health care, x-ray, laboratory and diagnostic services, pharmacy services and specialty care for veterans in our Hawai‘i and throughout the Pacific Islands. This clinic will alleviate the significant and growing logistical and capacity challenges at Tripler Army Medical Center. PACT Act I voted to help expand access to care for all our veterans exposed to toxic substances in the line of duty through the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. With the enactment of this measure, we have held true to our promise to our nation's veterans that we will care for them when they come home. In September 2024, Congress approved with my support and President Biden signed into law the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act. It provided an immediate $3 billion to ensure that veterans continue to receive assistance under our landmark PACT Act. Staying Connected I regularly report back to our Hawaii’s veterans on some of my activities in Congress on their behalf, seek their continued guidance, and invite them to join me personally or remotely at special talk story community meetings. You can review my veterans newsletters HERE and my veterans talk stories HERE. 
Assisting with Your Individual Needs One of my most critical responsibilities as your Congressman is to help with your individual needs. Although I cannot mandate a particular result or override the decision of a federal agency, I can often assist with answering questions, finding solutions or simply cutting through red tape to ensure veterans receive the benefits they are entitled to receive. If you or a veteran you know has questions or requires assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office at https://case.house.gov/forms/casework. |
