Press Releases

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced that the full U.S. House has approved the $883.7 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including four of his floor amendments as well as his priorities on strengthening America’s national security interests in the Indo-Pacific, boosting Hawaii’s economy and continuing to improve the relationship between the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the local community.  

“This measure is critical as it not only authorizes defense spending for the year, supplementing my Appropriations Committee’s actual funding responsibilities, but also establishes defense policies and restrictions, and addresses organizational and administrative matters related to the DoD,” said Case, who currently serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and previously served on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. 

As requested by Case, the NDAA authorizes $505 million for a multi-year project by the Navy to build a water treatment plant to treat water from the Red Hill shaft, which would allow the shaft to be reopened and help remove any residual contaminants from the ground surrounding Red Hill. To begin this important project, the NDAA recommends appropriating $90 million for the project in FY 2025. 

“This water treatment plant is not just another infrastructure project, it is our assurance that those in the service area can be fully confident that the quality of the water they rely on complies with safe drinking standards,” said Case.  

The bill authorizes further or continued construction projects in Hawai‘i with a combined value of $1.35 billion. This includes: 

·         $1.2 billion for a new dry dock at Pearl Harbor, 

·         $90 million for the Red Hill Water Treatment Plant, 

·         $36 million for an Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at Wheeler Army Airfield, 

·         $36 million for an Air National Guard Space Control Facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor – Hickam, and 

·         $33 million for an Aircraft Hangar and Parking Apron at Marine Corps Base Kāne‘ohe Bay. 

Among the other provisions for which Case advocated and which were included in the measure are: 

·         A pilot program for inclusive playgrounds on military installations for families enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program. 

·         A study on combat medical support requirements in the Indo-Pacific including Hawaii’s role in that effort, 

·        Maximizing the number of individuals who can enter public shipyard apprenticeship programs. 

·        Having the DoD provide an assessment on wildfire mitigation efforts and interoperability in Hawai‘i.

·        A study on the Navy’s use of net metering to support efforts by the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum to generate and share the power it generates through its solar panels. 

·        Clarifying that the DoD’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation is authorized to support installation and workforce modernization efforts within its grant program and that state and local governments are eligible to apply. This office recently provided a $3.2 million dollar grant to the State of Hawai‘i to establish a Military and Community Affairs Office to determine how to improve the relationship and economic benefit of the defense presence in Hawai‘i. 

“For me, the NDAA as it came before me for a final vote is a mixed result,” said Case. “While the measure funds many critical national, Indo-Pacific and Hawai‘i priorities for our military infrastructure and veterans which I support, I regrettably had to vote against the measure overall because it reduces funding far below what is needed, including $1.5 billion in cuts to critical military construction projects, shortchanges dedicated funding for Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) cleanup, eliminates climate and military base resiliency efforts, rejects important VA infrastructure funding, rejects diversity advancement initiatives and includes various other culture wars provisions that have no place in a critical national defense measure. I hope and believe that, as in past years, we will correct these deficiencies through the remainder of the legislative process, and I will be able to vote for the final measure.” 

The bill also includes several provisions to continue the military’s investment in Hawai‘i:

·         Requires the DoD to provide an assessment on allowing servicemembers with dependents to ship more than one car when they move to or from locations outside the continental United States, to include Hawai‘i.  

·        Creates an initiative to control and combat invasive Rhinoceros Beetles and put protocols in place to prevent introduction and spread of other invasive species  

The bill continues the DoD’s reinvestment in the Indo-Pacific, including provisions offered by the Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus, which Case co-founded. For example, the bill:  

·        Authorizes $1.2 billion for Pacific Deterrence Initiative construction projects aimed at countering China; 

·        Requires the DoD to study ways to expand the State Partnership Program in the Pacific. The Hawai‘i National Guard partners with the Philippines and Indonesia through this program. 

·        Requires a review of the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to ensure the program is effectively meeting the needs of US Indo-Pacific Command. 

·        Requires the DoD to assess the ability to create a Sentinel Landscape-like program in the Freely Associated States to conserve and protect lands.  

·        Requires the Department to study ways to better integrate chaplains in activities with partner and allied nations in the Indo-Pacific. 

·        Requires the Defense Intelligence Agency to provide assessments on Chinese influence in the Pacific Islands and the impacts that may have on our national security.  

·        Requires the DoD to assess workforce investment opportunities in the Freely Associated States to enable military construction projects on the islands. 

 Other key provisions include: 

·        A 4.5 percent pay raise for military personnel and an additional 15% pay raise for junior enlisted troops. 

·        Increases the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) for qualifying servicemembers to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. The BNA helps military households better afford basic needs.  

·        Increases Basic Allowance for Housing from 95% to 100% of combined housing and utility costs for servicemembers. 

·        Requires the DoD to provide a review of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership Program, in order to find ways to maximize spouse participation and awareness of support available. 

·        Requires the DoD to study ways to increase hiring and retaining childcare employees for child development centers and ways to better partner with childcare centers in the community.   

A summary of the FY25 NDAA is available here.

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