Prevention
My plan has guided my efforts to maximize federal assistance toward preventing, mitigating and responding to any other wildfire disasters statewide. Some successes included the following provisions in the House’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills: · $120 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Damage Management Program. · $342 million for the FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Program. · $342 million for the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program. · Direction to our military to identify investments needed to support wildland firefighters located on Schofield Barracks. Also included in the House’s FY 2026 Homeland Security Appropriations bill was $1 million for the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Operations Center IT Modernization Project. This is a Member-designated Community Project Funding project that specifically focuses on local needs in Hawai‘i. The project will fund the procurement and installation of touchscreen monitors for a new information wall at the emergency operations center to facilitate emergency response communications and instantaneous information sharing. As my Appropriations Committee works to finalize our funding bills for FY 2027, I will continue to advocate for these programs and those that are risk from misguided funding cuts. For example, last year I spoke against potential cuts to FEMA in our FY 2026 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, which you can watch here. EDA Long Term Recovery Funding
Housing
In April 2024, I spoke about housing needs for wildfire victims in a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing. I asked Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas about FEMA’s decision to focus on rehousing over rebuilding, underscoring the fact that leaving people in hotel rooms indefinitely was not a viable option. Support for Small BusinessesBusinesses throughout Hawai‘i linked to Maui experienced a “severe economic disruption” following the wildfires. To assist those businesses in need, in the 118th Congress (2023-2025) I introduced the Healing and Economic Advancement for Local Businesses in Maui (HEAL Maui) Act. The bill aimed to augment the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program by providing immediate advances, creating a new loan program modeled after the Payroll Protection Program and offering two-year loan deferments. In the 119th Congress (2025-2027), I will focus on new ways to help small businesses that are still struggling. PreventionWe must also learn the lessons of Maui in order to prevent and mitigate further wildfire disasters, especially as wildfire risks are high and growing throughout Hawai‘i. To this end, I worked with federal and local leaders to create a comprehensive guide to federal resources to assist our Hawai‘i in preventing, mitigating and responding to continuing wildfire risks across the state. My Wildfire Prevention Plan identifies 12 key federal, state, county and non-government organizations responsible for wildfire risk and response, along with key existing federal programs offering financial and technical assistance. It also outlines specific further Congressional action items, from increased annual appropriations to greater military participation and changes to federal programs to improve federal participation and focus on specific needs. My plan has guided my efforts to maximize federal assistance toward preventing, mitigating and responding to any other wildfire disasters statewide. Some successes thus far included the following provisions in the House’s (FY) 2026 draft appropriations bills:
Also included in the House’s FY 2026 Homeland Security Appropriations bill was $1 million for the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Operations Center IT Modernization Project. This is a Member-designated Community Project Funding projects that specifically focuses on local needs in Hawai‘i. The project will fund the procurement and installation of touchscreen monitors for a new information wall at the emergency operations center to facilitate emergency response communications and instantaneous information sharing. As my Appropriations Committee works to finalize our funding bills for FY 2026, I will continue to advocate for these programs and those that are risk from misguided funding cuts. For example, I spoke against potential cuts to FEMA in our FY 2026 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, which you can watch here. I have also sent multiple letters to federal agencies on key issues related to wildfires in our state. I have asked agencies to improve federal coordination efforts on wildfire responses, requested the Army to advance efforts to build a new wildfire fighting headquarters on O‘ahu, and urged the Department of Interior to better support wildfire firefighting efforts in geographically isolated areas in the Pacific. I also sent letters to FEMA on the timeliness of its Hazard Mitigation Assistance application review process and emergency responder training in remote and rural areas. EDA Long Term Recovery FundingThe December 2024 Continuing Resolution included $1.5 billion for the EDA to support disaster recovery across the country, including in Hawai‘i. This funding will help address the ongoing impacts of natural disasters like the Maui wildfires. Our Hawai‘i Congressional delegation strongly advocated for this support, including through a joint letter to House leadership urging additional disaster and recovery funding. |
We must also learn the lessons of Maui in order to prevent and mitigate further wildfire disasters, especially as wildfire risks are high and growing throughout Hawai‘i. To this end, I worked with federal and local leaders to create a 
The December 2024 Continuing Resolution included $1.5 billion for the EDA to support disaster recovery across the country, including in Hawai‘i. This funding will help address the ongoing impacts of natural disasters like the Maui wildfires. Our Hawai‘i Congressional delegation strongly advocated for this support, including through a joint letter to House leadership urging additional disaster and recovery funding.
