Press Releases

(Washington, DC) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for all federal discretionary spending, announced today that H.R. 2471, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 signed into law by the President on Tuesday, included his request for $2 million to build a new home for the Blood Bank of Hawai‘i. 

“As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal funding measure for this fiscal year will bolster our public health infrastructure and capacity and provide for long-term strategy and investment, beginning with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention down to states and local public health departments, to further public health for all Americans and address health inequities,” said Case.

“As the U.S. faces our worst blood shortage in over a decade, I am especially pleased that my Committee approved my Community Project Funding (CPF) to support a new home for the Blood Bank of Hawai‘i. Due in part to its geographic isolation, Hawai‘i particularly depends on the generosity of people to donate the gift of life-saving blood, and we have turned to the Blood Bank time and again to ensure a safe and reliable blood supply for all of Hawai‘i. This funding could not have come at a more critical time.”

“We are grateful to Congressman Case for his early and strong support of our project,” said Kim-Anh Nguyen, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Blood Bank of Hawai‘i. “The $2.0 million federal assistance is an investment toward our efforts to ensure that lifesaving blood and blood products are readily available.  These funds will make a difference in the lives of thousands of patients each year who rely on the Blood Bank of Hawai‘i.”

The Blood Bank’s headquarters on Dillingham Boulevard is being displaced by the HART rail project. The new 18,000 sq ft headquarters to be located at Kapolei will provide state-of-the-art facilities and operations for the community institution founded in 1941. 

This year the U.S. House incorporated CPF requests by individual Members of Congress for specific projects and purposes in their district into its annual appropriations process. CPF requests may only be directed to governments or non-profits, not for-profit businesses or individuals.

They must have demonstrated community support, and they are subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office. Finally, all Members must publicly disclose their CPF requests and signed required ethics certifications. Case’s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/media/funding-disclosures.htm.

Case made ten CPF requests, all of which were funded.

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