Press Releases

(Washington, DC) -- U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for all federal discretionary spending, today voted with a majority of his colleagues to pass a $1.5 trillion measure to fund the federal government for the current fiscal year (FY2022). If approved by the Senate as expected, the bill will go to President Biden for his expected signature into law.

“This bipartisan agreement addresses the major challenges our country faces at home and abroad, from supporting Ukraine in its struggle against Russia to continuing our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic to helping our country and our communities and families with pressing needs in defense, health care, education, social services, natural resources and more,” said Case.

“The bill also includes key provisions of special importance to our Hawai‘i that I pursued in my House Appropriations Committee, including major additional funding to address Red Hill, increased funding for federal Native Hawaiian programs, provisions to protect our natural resources and stabilize our economy, additional funding to fully implement our $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law in Hawai’i, and increased support for specific programs that have proven especially beneficial back home.

“On Red Hill in particular, and on the heels of the recent announcement by the Secretary of Defense to defuel and permanently close the facility, my Appropriations Committee included some $736  million in new funding I requested to continue supporting displaced servicemembers, civilians and their families, addressing drinking water contamination and to conducting activities in compliance with the State of Hawaii’s emergency order.

“These funds are in addition to the $403 million in emergency funding we obtained in another bill we passed just weeks ago, bringing Congress’ total funding for all aspects of Red Hill in the current fiscal year alone to some $1.139 billion. But billions more will be required to complete all aspects of the cleanup, stabilization, defueling and closing of Red Hill and the relocation of its fuel and build fuel storage capacity elsewhere, and I am already working with the Department of Defense on the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations bill to assure that such funding is fully available,” said Case.

Representative highlights of the FY 2022 measure of special interest to Hawai‘i and for which Case advocated throughout the yearlong FY2022 appropriations process include:

·         $38 million for the Native Hawaiian Education Program, a $1.5 million increase from the FY 2021 enacted level and the President’s budget request.

·         $6 million to maintain and repair Atmospheric Baseline Observatories, including the Mauna Loa Observatory where the famous Keeling Curve proving rapid climate change was developed.

·         $34 million for the Agricultural Quarantine Inspections program to combat invasive species in Hawai‘i. 

·         $19.7 million for the East-West Center, representing continued stable year-to-year funding after a decade of efforts to reduce or even eliminate such funding.

·         $1 billion for the Small Business Administration (SBA), an increase of $109 million above the FY 2021 funding level.

·         $6 million to Haleakalā National Park to expand public access to recreational activities and the Kaupō Gap Trail.

·         A requirement that the Consumer Product Safety Commission investigate the importation and shipment of illegal aerial fireworks and develop recommendations for stopping it.

·         $17 million for the National Trails System, which will benefit the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail.

·         $235 million of military construction projects throughout the state, which will benefit not just the national defense but local businesses.

·         $2.2 billion for homeless assistance programs for our nation’s veterans, an increase of $246 million above the 2021 enacted level. 

·         Support for various elements of the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI), which bolsters deterrence and maintains our competitive edge in the Indo-Pacific in recognition of threats posed by China and the need to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

“The FY 2022 funding bill also includes all of the $8.2 million in Community Project Funding that I requested,” Case said. “I chose these ten specific projects to support underserved areas and foster economic, social and community development where a direct federal investment will be particularly impactful and make a real difference in the lives of so many in our community.”

Case’s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis through twelve separate bills. Highlights of each of these bills, in addition to Case’s Community Project Funding and specific separate provisions aimed at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, follow:

Ukraine Supplemental

The Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, included in the FY2022 appropriations bill, provides $13.6 billion in emergency funding to support the Ukrainian people and defend global democracy in the wake of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine.  

The bill addresses the dire humanitarian needs of the millions of refugees who have fled Ukraine or been displaced within Ukraine with more than $4 billion. Through the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. will provide emergency food assistance, health care and other urgent support. The act also includes nearly $1.8 billion to flexibly respond to macroeconomic needs in Ukraine and its neighbors, including energy and cybersecurity efforts. 

Additionally, the bill provides more than $3.6 billion in defense support for both Ukraine and North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners to deter Russian aggression. It also increases the President’s authorization to transfer defense equipment to Ukraine and other allies to $3 billion. Finally, it enforces the tough sanctions that have been imposed on Russia with funding for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and the Treasury to further develop and enforce sanctions and prepare for and respond to cyber threats. 

Community Project Funding (CPF)

The bill includes ten requests from Case for Member-designated CPF to address key, unmet community needs.

U.S. House 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.

“CPF requests are submitted by individual Members and are for specific projects and purposes in our respective districts,” explained Case. CPF requests are only for state and local governments or non-profits organizations. The following specific local projects will receive federal funds this fiscal year:

1.   $500,000 for the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture Small Business Incubator Project at Leeward Community College.

2.   $300,000 for the City and County of Honolulu to develop its city-wide Tree Inventory and Management Plan.

3.   $1 million for the planning and design of the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency’s State Emergency Operations Center in the Mililani First Responder Tech Campus.

4.   $415,000 for the Waikīkī Marine Life Conservation District Site Restoration project 

5.   $200,000 for the Moku o Lo‘e (Coconut Island) Marine Laboratory Refuge Eco-Friendly Sea Wall Research project.

6.   $2 million for facilities and equipment at the Blood Bank of Hawai‘i.

7.   $1 million for rural health research initiatives at the University of Hawaiʻi.

8.   $975,000 for digital skills literacy training at the State of Hawai‘i Workforce Development Council.

9.   $1.05 million for facilities and equipment at Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services.

10.                $800,000 for a Honolulu Harbor Modification Feasibility Study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assess the current vulnerabilities of the harbor to natural disaster, navigation mishap and sea level rise, and propose opportunities, alternatives or solutions to identified vulnerabilities.

Financial Services and General Government

The bill’s Financial Services and General Government Appropriations section funds the U.S. Treasury, federal courts and various independent agencies including the SBA, Federal Communications Commission and Office of Personnel Management.

The discretionary funding level is $25.5 billion, an increase of $1.1 billion over the FY 2021 enacted level. 

To help our small businesses nationwide, the bill provides $1 billion for the SBA, an increase of $109 million above the FY 2021 funding level. This includes $290 million, an $18 million increase, for Entrepreneurial Development Programs that provide small businesses with quality training, counseling and access to resources.

The bill also provided $295 million for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), an increase of $25 million above the FY 2021 enacted levels. CDFIs are specialized community-based financial institutions that promote economic development by providing financial products and services to people and communities underserved by traditional financial institutions, particularly in low-income and minority communities. They were especially valuable in delivering COVID-19 emergency assistance funds to communities without ready access to other means.

The Appropriations Committee also approved several of Case’s requests for funding for federal programs and services important for the State of Hawai’i, including:

·         $22 million for the Native American Community Development Financial Institution Assistance Program,

·         $3 million for the Native American Outreach Program,

·         $3 million for the Historically Underutilized Business Zones Program,

·         $24 million for the Women’s Business Centers Program,

·         $23 million for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative,

·         $138 million for Small Business Development Centers,

·         $106 million for the Drug-Free Communities Program,

·         $20 million for the State Trade Expansion Program,

·         $8 million for the Regional Innovation Clusters Program,

·         $297 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, and

·         $37 million for the Microloan Technical Assistance Program.

The measure includes the following further Case requests:

·         Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to investigate the importation and shipment of illegal aerial fireworks and develop recommendations for stopping it.

·         Extends Hawaii’s long-standing fourth temporary judgeship.

·         Requests the United States Postal Service to coordinate with the United States Department of Agriculture to better combat endangered species trafficking and the spread of invasive species.

·         Directs the National Personnel Records Center to quickly address its unacceptable backlog of veterans’ requests for records that they need to receive the benefits they deserve.

·         Instructs the Election Assistance Commission to review the lessons learned from the 2020 elections and make recommendations to state governments on best practices to improve the administration of vote-by-mail and expand access to the ballot.

Interior 

The bill’s Interior Appropriations section funds the 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 discretionary funding level is $38 billion, an increase of $2.5 billion over the FY 2021 enacted level. 

The bill includes $97 million to expand the country’s National Parks through a series of land acquisitions, including $6 million to help acquire a unique 3,018 acre parcel adjacent to Haleakalā National Park.

This portion of Kaupō Ranch spans from the volcanic crater rim down 10,000 feet to the ocean. The acquisition will expand Haleakalā National Park to protect important natural resources, including priority watersheds and endangered species facing a warming climate and will ensure public access to recreational activities and the Kaupō Gap Trail.

Additional programs and provisions requested and secured by Case in the Interior section of the bill include:

·         $330 million for National Park Service State Assistance Grants.

·         Language instructing the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations to expand the federal government’s Native Hawaiian community consultation efforts.

·         $4 million for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s State of the Birds program. These funds support efforts to recover our most endangered Hawaiian forest bird species.

·         $33 million, a $3 million increase, for the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program. This includes funding for the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which monitors the active volcanoes in Hawai‘i, assesses their hazards, issues warnings and advances scientific understanding to reduce impacts of volcanic eruptions.

·         $1.5 million, an increase of $250,000, for the NPS American Indian and Native Hawaiian Art and Culture Grants program.

·         $58 million for State Historic Preservation Offices.

The measure also includes:

·         $1.1 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and $1.6 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which provides funding to Hawai‘i’s regulated water systems for Hawai‘i’s water infrastructure projects. 

·         $92 million for the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program, which includes funding to address Red Hill issues.

·         $40 million for the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program.

·         $17 million for the National Trails System, which will benefit the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail.

Agriculture 

The bill’s Agriculture Appropriations section funds federal efforts to tackle hunger and nutrition insecurity, grow opportunities and uplift rural communities, confront the climate crisis and advance world-leading agriculture research and development. The discretionary funding level is $25.1 billion, an increase of $1.4 billion over the 2021 enacted level. 

The bill includes a record $34 million for the Agricultural Quarantine Inspections program for invasive species in Hawai‘i, and report language which allows these inspections to occur at inter-island airports to help mitigate the spread of invasive species between islands. The bill also includes other report language (directives to federal agencies) targeting invasive species in Hawai‘i, such as the spittlebug, avocado lace bug and little fire ant. 

Programs and provisions requested and secured by Case in the Agriculture bill include:

·         $5 million for the Micro-Grants for Food Security program, which has provided direct farming to Hawaii’s subsistence and small commercial farmers.

·         $4 million for Education Grants for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions, the first increase for this vital program in years.

·         $4.5 million for coffee research to address the threats of Coffee Leaf Rust and Coffee Berry Borer on our iconic coffee industry.

·         $26 million for farmers market nutrition programs, which helps address food insecurity with fresh produce and supports local farms.

·         $1.2 million for research for the macadamia felted coccid.

The measure also:

·         Directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update its Biosecurity Plan for Invasive Ants in the Pacific to help Hawai‘i deal with little red fire ant and other invasive ant species.

·         Requests the U.S. Department of Agriculture study the ability and effectiveness of managed forestry best practices to aid in the reforestation of native trees and the cultivation of forest crops in tropical and subtropical forests.

·         Emphasizes the importance of tropical and subtropical crop research, given the threats posed by climate change and invasive species and diseases.

·         Urges the U.S. Department of Agriculture to responsibly and efficiently take action to increase access to broadband on entities related to Hawaiian homelands.

 

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs

The bill’s Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations section supports the construction and maintenance of our defense facilities throughout the country and world, our national cemeteries and battle monuments, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and various small agencies and programs supporting our nation's some 19 million veterans and their families. The bill provides $285 billion for these programs, an increase of $33 billion over the FY 2021 enacted level. Case serves on the Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.  

The bill specifically provides a total of $112 billion in discretionary appropriations for the VA, an increase of $8 billion above the 2021 enacted level. These resources will serve to expand access to services for veterans and will boost oversight and accountability across the department. This includes increases for rural health and telehealth initiatives, key to veterans throughout the islands.

The military construction section of the bill also includes two key provisions related to Red Hill:

1)   $50 million to the Navy for planning and design in order to advance future water treatment and distribution infrastructure projects needed to address the Red Hill drinking water crisis.

2)   Direction that the Secretary of Defense to provide Case’s Appropriations Committee a report, within 90 days, that identifies future military construction and remediation requirements related to Red Hill.

Programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·         $625 million for the Shipyard Improvement Optimization Program (SIOP), a twenty-year, $21 billion commitment targeting our nation’s four public naval shipyards, including Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, the largest industrial employer in Hawai’i. Under the SIOP, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is underway on a massive multi-billion dollar upgrade to service the Navy’s next generation of vessels. This SIOP increase is $465 million above the FY 2021 enacted level and $219 million above the FY 2022 budget request.

·         Support for multiple military construction projects in Hawai‘i, including:

o    $65 million to Marine Corps Base Kāne‘ohe to upgrade its electrical distribution system to support future missions at the base.

o    $55 million to complete the U.S. Army Pacific’s new Command and Control Facility on Fort Shafter.

o    $51 million for the West Loch Naval Magazine Annex, which would enable the Army to move its munitions from its current storage magazines at the Navy’s Lualualei Annex near Wai‘anae to the West Loch Annex.

o    $30 million for the Veterinary Treatment Facility Replacement at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, which is staffed by Army Veterinary Corps personnel who provide complete veterinary care for all government-owned animals.

o    $19 million for advance planning and design efforts to support the Homeland Defense Radar-Hawai‘i proposed to be located at Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kaua’i.

o    $9 million for advance planning and design efforts to support planned upgrades to the Air Force’s Maui Experimental Lab.

o    $6 million for Marine Corps Training Area Bellow’s perimeter security fence.

·         $59 million for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) to support planning and design efforts to advance future construction projects throughout the Indo-Pacific.

·         $2 billion for homeless assistance programs for our nation’s veterans, an increase of $246 million above the 2021 enacted level. This funding will enhance VA’s ability to reach homeless veterans, which is particularly crucial as the most recent homelessness survey showed that on any given night roughly 40,000 veterans nationwide are experiencing homelessness.

·         $327 million for the Office of Rural Health and Rural Health Initiatives, an increase of $20 million above the President’s request. This will build upon VA’s success in having served 2.9 million veterans at 600 rural serving sites.

The measure also:

·         Directs the military to address the parking shortage at the Tripler Army Medical Center.

·         Requires the VA to assess the benefits of expanding the Veterans Affairs Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations Program in more areas, including Hawai‘i. This program offers veterans the ability to securely access VA care in purpose-built settings from easily accessed locations in their home communities.

·         Continues contracting preferences for Native Hawaiian businesses. 

·         Directs the VA to ensure support and outreach to WWII Filipino veterans overseas and prevents the transfer of funding from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund to any other VA account. 

Defense 

The bill’s Defense section supports federal agencies and programs in the Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community, including the military branches of services, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. The bill provides $728.5 billion for these national defense programs, an increase of $32.5 billion over the 2021 enacted level. 

This agreement includes over $686 million to continue supporting displaced servicemembers, civilians and their families, addressing drinking water contamination and conducting activities in compliance with the State of Hawaii’s emergency order. The Secretary of Defense is also directed to provide a report to Congress no later than 90 days after enactment of the bill detailing all options under consideration by the DoD to mitigate issues related to the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, as well as future fuel storage requirements.

Other programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·         $75 million to continue development of Homeland Defense Radar – Hawai‘i (HDR-H). The HDR-H is a critical state-of-the-art radar system designed to protect our country and state from ballistic missile threats and was strongly supported by our Indo-Pacific military leaders. This “discriminating radar” will be capable of identifying and classifying specific missile threats and will address current and emerging threats.

·         $5 million additional to continue improving the safety of the underground fuel storage tanks at Red Hill as the Navy works to defuel and close the facility.

·         Continued funding for the non-construction elements of the SIOP, to include $264 million for ongoing operations and maintenance (in addition to military construction described above).

·         $4 million for the Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s Regional Centers. This funding will help expand the work of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies at Fort DeRussy, a premier defense-supported research and education center in Honolulu that fosters shared understanding and networked relationships among civilian and military leaders throughout the Indo-Pacific.

·         $293 million for Environmental Restoration, Formerly Used Defense Sites Program, which is $74 million over the President’s budget request. These funds will help accelerate efforts to remove unexploded ordnance and discarded military munitions in Hawai‘i and throughout the nation.

·         The Appropriations Committee again blocked efforts to change the command and control structure of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. There have been efforts within the department to streamline control of forces under one command structure, which would limit the ability of Navy forces in Hawai‘i to respond quickly to changing threats in the Indo-Pacific region. 

·         Helicopter and Tiltrotor Noise Study report language, which directs the DoD’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) to study how local communities are impacted by military helicopter and tiltrotor noise. Such noise is a consistent complaint to Case’s office. This study will result in noise contour maps that can be incorporated in community planning through the OLDCC’s existing Noise Mitigation Community Partnership Program. 

·         Retention of the military contracting preference language for Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations. 

·         Support for the Naval Shipyard Apprentice Program, with instructions to the Secretary of the Navy to induct classes of not fewer than 100 apprentices at each of the four naval shipyards and to include the costs of the class of apprentices in the FY2023 budget request. 

The measure also includes:

·         Full funding necessary to support the proposed 2.7 percent military pay raise.

·         Support for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, which bolsters deterrence and maintains our competitive edge in the Indo-Pacific in recognition of threats posed by China and the need to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific. A key component of the PDI for FY 2022 is $80 million for the missile defense of Guam, which faces the threats of ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles. This is $40 million more than the President’s Budget request.  

·         $26 billion to procure 13 Navy ships.

·         $75 million for the Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative (REPI). The DoD created the REPI Program in response to land development and loss of habitat in the vicinity of or affecting military installations, ranges and airspace that can lead to restrictions or costly and inadequate training and testing alternatives. Through REPI, DoD works with state and local governments, conservation organizations and willing private landowners to address these challenges to the military mission and the viability of DoD installations and ranges. 

·         $5 million increase for the Asia Pacific Regional Initiative, a key program supporting USINDOPACOM. This program enables the military to execute Theater Security Cooperation activities, such as humanitarian assistance and paying incremental personnel costs of training and exercising with foreign security forces. The initiative is a critical tool for the U.S. military to strengthen relationships throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

·         Efforts to confront the climate crisis with historic investments for clean energy and climate adaptation to protect facilities, readiness and global security, to include $1.6 billion for restoration and modernization of military facilities.

 

State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs

This measure funds U.S. foreign policy programs and agencies, including the Department of State, USAID, U.S. contributions to the United Nations and its agencies and more. Globally, this bill provides for U.S. foreign assistance in public health, basic education, educational and cultural exchanges, climate change and more.

The discretionary funding level is $56 billion, an increase of $595 million over the FY 2021 enacted level. 

Case continued to advocate on the Committee and as a Co-Chair of the House Pacific Islands Caucus for increased reinvestment in the Indo-Pacific and America’s allies and partners. The bill approved his request for $19.7 million appropriated for the East-West Center, representing continued stable year-to-year funding after a decade of efforts to reduce or even eliminate such funding. The East-West Center’s work not only furthers Hawaii’s understanding of the Indo-Pacific region but also enhances our country’s relationships with citizens, scholars, diplomats and military officials from other countries in the region. 

Other programs and provisions related to the Pacific Islands and the Indo-Pacific requested and secured by Case include:

·         $1.6 billion for implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy to counter malign influence and promote peace, prosperity and democracy in the region.

·         Report language recommending funds to enhance engagement with the Pacific Islands on strengthening resilience against malign influences, promoting development and good governance and supporting economic growth.

·         Report language urging the U.S. Development Finance Corporation to prioritize investments in the Pacific Islands, especially investments in minority- and women-owned businesses.

·         Report language encouraging the Department of State and USAID to hire locally employed staff in the Pacific Islands to promote and expand our diplomacy and development engagement.

·         Report language supporting coverage of Voice of America on digital and conventional media in the Pacific Islands, including through the pursuit of regional affiliates; and

·         Report language directing the Department of State and USAID to update and submit an Indo-Pacific climate security report assessing the impacts of climate change on U.S. foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific and providing a plan on how best to address such impacts.

The bill also sustains or increases funding for several foreign policy programs supported by Case, including:

·         $1.7 billion for contributions to international organizations and $1.5 billion for to support United Nations international peacekeeping activities, which includes U.S. dues and arrears.

·         $753 million for Educational and Cultural Exchange programs, which include the Fulbright programs.

·         $411 million for the Peace Corps, an increase of $20 million over the FY 2021 enacted level.

·         $6 billion for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, including $1.6 billion for the Global Fund.

·         $4 billion for maternal and child health programs and combating infectious diseases.

·         $950 million for basic education.

·         $7 billion for humanitarian assistance programs, including refugee assistance and international disaster assistance.

 

Homeland Security 

This section supports the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Secret Service and more. The discretionary funding level is $81.1 billion, an increase of $5.6 billion over the 2021 enacted level. 

The bill includes $101 million for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, which includes the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPC) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. The NDPC, a seven-member professional alliance, is the principal means through which FEMA identifies, develops, tests and delivers training to state and local emergency responders. The NDPC has trained over 2.5 million people throughout the United States and its territories. 

Other programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·         Report language supporting the continued expansion of the preclearance program to eligible partners in the Indo-Pacific region to support ease of travel and tourism.

·         Report language supporting the evaluation of space-based radio frequency detection technologies to support maritime domain awareness and combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

·         Report language directing CBP to continue efforts to address invasive species in Hawai‘i and the non-contiguous U.S. territories.

·         Report language directing TSA to examine the safety and efficiency of using local law enforcement partnerships to staff airport exit lanes under TSA oversight.

·         Congressional direction to the administration on the continued introduction of invasive species to Hawai‘i and the non-contiguous U.S. territories.

·         $355 million for the Emergency Management Performance Grants, which support state and local emergency management agencies like the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency.

·         $360 million for firefighter grant programs, which are a major source of funding for county fire departments.

·         $20 million for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program.

 

Commerce-Science-Justice

The bill’s Commerce-Science-Justice Appropriations section of the bill supports the Department of Commerce, including the International Trade Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and more. Case serves on the Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science. The section’s discretionary funding level is a historic $76 billion.

Programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·         $6 million to support maintenance and repair of Atmospheric Baseline Observatories, including the Mauna Loa Observatory where the famous Keeling Curve proving rapid climate change was developed.

·         $61 million for Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas, including the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

·         $43 million for NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project.

·         $33 million for the Coral Reef Conservation Program.

·         $148 million for protection, research and management of marine mammals, sea turtles and other species.

·         $4 million for the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grants.

·         $158 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnerships program.

·         $675 million for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants and $512 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services.

·         Report language directing the Economic Development Administration to assist local- and state-level public-private partnerships in advancing stakeholder-based frameworks that measure progress in sustainable development through open-data platforms, such as the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard advanced by Hawai‘i Green Growth.

·         Report language directing the Federal Bureau of Prisons to establish residential reentry centers in federal court districts like Hawai‘i that currently lack such facilities. 

·         Report language directing the Minority Business Development Agency to provide at least $3 million in grants to Native American populations, including Native Hawaiians, for addressing barriers to economic development.

·         Report language allowing applicants in the tourism industry to make requests for Economic Development Administration funds for certain travel promotion activities. 

The measure also includes:

·         $6 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

·         $55 million for the Minority Business Development Agency.

·         $35 billion for the Department of Justice, including $11 billion for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and $760 million for the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

·         $24 billion for NASA.

·         $9 billion for the NSF.

·         $420 million for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

·         $110 million for the International Trade Commission.

 

Labor, Health, Human Services and Education

The bill’s Labor, Health, Human Services and Education section supports a broad range of key federal programs that support public health, child care, mental health, maternal health, job training and workforce development, public education and various initiatives to address the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The discretionary funding level is $214 billion, an increase of $15 billion over the FY 2021 enacted level. 

The measure directs federal funding to address many of the cultural, economic, educational and health needs of Native Hawaiians and other indigenous communities, including: 

·         $22 million for the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems, which is $1.5 million above the FY 2021 enacted level.

·         $38 million for the Native Hawaiian Education Program, a $1.5 million increase from the FY 2021 enacted level and the President’s budget request.

·         $36 million for Native American Nutrition and Supportive Services grants to promote the delivery of nutrition and home and community-based services to Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian kūpuna.

·         $21 million for the Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program, $2 million above the FY 2021 enacted level. These funds will support tutoring, mentorships, internships, faculty development and other activities to support Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students at the collegiate level. 

·         $57 million to support Native American job training programs authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.

·         $2 million for the Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program, which provides grants to Native American-serving organizations and federally-recognized tribes to sustain indigenous heritage, culture and knowledge through museum-related services.

·         $1 million to create a new Native Hawaiian Resource Center on Domestic Violence within the Family Violence Prevention Program, providing supportive services for adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence and dating violence and to prevent such incidents in Native Hawaiian communities. 

·         $1 million for the Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity (more)in the Office of Minority Health to advance Indigenous solutions to achieve health equity and encourage the Department of Health and Human Services to partner with universities in these efforts.

·         $500,000 to establish the first-ever Native American Language Resource Center, which will support higher education institutions in teaching and learning languages, including research on new teaching methods for educators and developing instructional materials, among other things.

Programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·         $45 billion for the National Institutes of Health, an increase of $2.3 billion above the FY 2021 enacted level, to support a wide range of biomedical and behavioral research.

·         $1 billion to establish ARPA-H within the Department of Health and Human Services to accelerate the pace of scientific breakthroughs for diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer.

·         $1.8 billion for Community Health Centers, $65 million above FY 2021 and $15 million more than the President’s budget request, to provide high quality, cost-effective health care to predominantly low-income and medically-underserved communities.

·         $16 million for the Health Careers Opportunity Program to assist students from minority and economically disadvantaged backgrounds navigate careers in the health profession.

·         $17.5 billion for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies (low income schools), an increase of $1 billion above the FY 2021 enacted level - the largest increase in the program in more than a decade.

·         $25 billion for Federal student aid programs, which includes funding to raise the maximum Pell Grant award to $6,895, a $400 increase from the FY 2021 enacted level.

·         $1 billion for the Federal TRIO Program, $40 million more than the FY 2021 enacted level, to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, veterans and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs.

·         $114 million for McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program, which helps homeless youth access critical health and wellness services and provide them with the support they need to succeed in and out of the classroom.

·         $20 million in Supplemental Education Grants, an increase of about $3 million above the FY 2021 enacted level, for general education assistance in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

·         $57 billion for the National Farmworker Jobs Program, which helps agricultural workers upgrade their skills in and outside agriculture by providing job training, placement and other services to eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers, while helping local businesses find workers with the skills they require.

 

Energy & Water 

The bill’s Energy and Water section supports the deployment of clean energy technologies and green jobs, in addition to funding flood and waterway projects through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to include key Hawai‘i areas like the Ala Wai and Honolulu Harbor. The discretionary funding level is $55.0 billion, an increase of $3.2 billion over the FY 2021 enacted level.  

 Programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

·         $10 million and report language for the Energy Transitions Initiative (ETI). This program, which aims to advance self-reliant island and remote communities through the development of resilient energy systems, helps recipients who face unique energy challenges due to their remote location, fossil fuel dependency, and limited access to affordable infrastructure improvements.

·         This funding supports two ETI projects in Hawai‘i: electrical infrastructure resiliency in Honolulu, and alternative and autonomous mobility options for Kaua‘i.    

·         Report language directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address the flooding concerns in Kaua‘i and to provide a briefing on the efforts to address these issues, including any authorized studies, timelines, challenges, and other related projects that are required to be expedited to mitigate flood risks.

·         A record-level $3.2 billion for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, an increase of $338 million above FY 2021 level. This funding will go to support many of the renewable energy projects underway across the state of Hawai‘i,

·         $186 million for Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response. This funding provides for efforts to secure the nation’s energy infrastructure against all hazards, reduce the risks of and impacts from cybersecurity events, and assist with restoration activities.

·         $8.3 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a whole, to include $143 million for the investigations account, which funds studies for projects in Hawai‘i like the Ala Wai Flood Zone to be evaluated for safety and flood risk, and $4.6 billion for the operation and maintenance account, which supports ongoing U.S. Army Corps work in Hawai‘i like the Barbers Point Deep Draft Harbor.

·         $450 million for Advanced Research Projects – Energy, an increase of $23 million above the FY 2021 level. This funding supports research aimed at rapidly developing energy technologies that are capable of significantly changing the energy sector to address the nation’s critical economic, environmental and energy security challenges. 

 

Transportation-Housing Urban Development

The bill’s Transportation-Housing Urban Development section supports the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Transportation (DOT) including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, National Transportation Safety Board, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The bill’s discretionary funding level is $81 billion, an increase of $6 billion over the FY 2021 enacted level. 

To help combat increasing noise and community disruption from civilian aircraft operations, including from tour helicopters, the bill provides $8 million to the FAA to better support regular engagement with communities affected by aviation noise. These funds would be used to provide on-line, real-time and authoritative information to the public about airport operations and aircraft position and altitude; respond to questions and complaints from the public; make aggregated information from the FAA noise portal available to the public; and ensure technical and analytical support to communities.

The bill also includes:

·         $25 billion for the FAA, including $1.5 billion for aviation safety. 

·         $1.3 billion for the Maritime Administration, including $318 million for the Maritime Security Program and $230 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program.

·         Report language directing the DOT to emphasize resiliency and support for roads that are currently in crisis situations, ensuring that the most vulnerable roads are being modernized and that planning for future resilient roads take climate change realities into account.

·         A provision allowing up to $28 million in housing loans through the Native Hawaiian Housing Loan Guarantee Program. The Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 established a loan guarantee program for Native Hawaiians who are eligible to reside on Hawaiian home lands and would otherwise face barriers to acquiring such financing because of the unique legal status of the Hawaiian home lands.

·         $22 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG). The NHHBG funds support the building, acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable homes.

·         $5 billion for the Community Development Fund.

·         $3 billion for the Homeless Assistance Grants

·         $63 million for the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program.

·         $55 million for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program and Native American Veterans programs.

·         $13.5 billion on project-based rental assistance.

Among the bill and related report’s provisions are directives to the FAA to:

·         Finish its report, as required by Public Law 116–260, on its responses to the National Transportation Safety Board on safety recommendations regarding commercial air tour flights flying under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and Part 135, including what action the FAA has taken on each recommendation and why or why none was taken.

·         Update Congress on FAA effort to implement recommendations from the Government Accountability Office’s report (GAO–21–200) that recommended the FAA consistently and fully share noise complaints with helicopter operators and pilots and that they, in turn, need to share the same with the FAA in order to develop an effective strategy to address these complaints.

·         Invite federal agencies that operate military, law enforcement or rescue aircraft to participate in community noise events.

·         Consult with the Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise and the Council on Environmental Quality on the implications the agency’s noise policy review may have on fields and industries outside of aviation. 

A detailed summary of the bill is available here.  

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