Press Releases

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, voted in Committee against the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Security, Department of State and Related Programs Appropriations bill that would our nation’s foreign affairs programs and agencies by 22%  

This measure funds (or should fund) U.S. foreign policy efforts, including the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. contributions to the United Nations and its agencies and more.  

The bill historically provides for international diplomatic presence and outreach as well as foreign assistance in public health, basic education, educational and cultural exchanges, climate change and more. The bill’s proposed FY 2026 discretionary funding level is $46.2 billion. This is a decrease of $13 billion (22 percent) from the FY 2025 enacted level.  

“While this measure did fund many critical Hawai‘i and Indo-Pacific priorities I requested, I had to vote against it because on balance it weakens our global leadership when the world most needs our continued full engagement,” said Case.

Case spoke in Committee in opposition to the measure, saying it would “split our alliances, partnerships and friendships and cast our country as an unreliable partner”, allowing the People’s Republic of China to fill voids left by U.S. disengagement. His remarks are here.

The bill continues the Trump administration’s gutting of U.S. foreign assistance across a broad array of efforts, including: 

·         Codifying the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

·         Cutting international humanitarian aid by 42% in activities previously funded under International Disaster Assistance and Migration and Refugee Affairs.  

·         Cutting U.S. bilateral economic assistance by 21% in activities previously funded under Development Assistance, Economic Support Fund and other accounts.  

·         Creating a $1.7 billion transactional slush fund for the Trump administration called the “America First Opportunity Fund” with no effective congressional oversight.  

However, Case did welcome support in the bill for various of his requests related to Hawai‘i and the Indo-Pacific, especially $16.7 million for the East-West Center in Honolulu.

“As we continue to focus on the growing influence of the PRC in the Indo-Pacific, our national security interests must also include diplomatic engagement and assistance to promote peace and diplomacy in the region,” said Case. “Continued funding for our East-West Center and other world-leading institutions in Hawai‘i supports our country’s standing in an area widely seen as the most dynamic and critical on earth.” 

“For all seven of my years on Appropriations, I have ranked full funding for the Center at the top of my annual requests to my committee because I believe not only in the Center’s invaluable work but in what it represents for Hawaii’s central role in the Asia-Pacific and in the broader benefits that bring high-quality … jobs to our overall economy,” he said.

“Though we still have a long way to go this appropriations year, I’m grateful that my House colleagues have again favorably considered my request, especially when the President’s budget proposed zero funding for the Center.” 

Other bill provisions requested by Case include:

·         $1.8 billion for the implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which promotes peace, prosperity and democracy in the region. 

·         $175 million for the Pacific Islands region, the same as FY 2025 enacted levels.  

·         $3 million for the Advancing Port Enhancement and Customs Security program in the Pacific Islands.  

·         Funding for Pacific Islands exchange programs, with a focus on partnering with universities in Pacific locations.  

·         Funding for small grants programs to assist local communities across the Pacific Islands.  

·         Funding for a Flexible Microfinance Facility for the Pacific Islands, launched by the Development Finance Corporation with the Department of State. 

·         Report language supporting funding for free and open media in the Pacific.  

·         Funding for trade capacity-building activities in the Pacific Islands. 

·         Report language supporting the Peace Corps’ expansion in the Pacific. 

·         Funding for a demand-driven initiative to diversify trade opportunities in the Pacific Islands.  

·         Language requiring a report on ways to strengthen U.S. trade and investment with the Pacific Islands.  

·         Funding for unexploded ordinance removal in the Pacific Islands, including Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.  

·         Language requiring a strategy for faith-based engagement for assistance in the Pacific Islands.  

The bill further includes funding for several foreign policy programs supported by Case, although some at unacceptably low levels. Among them are: 

·         $411 million for the Peace Corps, a decrease of $20 million from FY 2025. 

·         $411 million for peacekeeping operations, the same as FY 2025. 

·         $562.3 million to support international peacekeeping activities, a decrease of $838 million. 

·         $701 million for educational and cultural exchange programs, which include the Fulbright programs, a decrease of more than $40 million. 

·         $310 million for contributions to international organizations, a decrease of $1.2 billion. 

·         $1.5 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, a decrease of $200 million. 

·         $915 million for maternal and child health programs. 

A summary of the bill is available here.  

This is the ninth of twelve separate bills developed and approved by the Appropriations Committee that would fund the federal government at some $1.6 trillion for FY 2026 commencing October 1^st of this year. The bill now moves on to the full House of Representatives for its consideration.

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