Happy New Year from my staff and me to you and yours! As I complete my first year and begin my second since returning to Congress as your United States Representative, I want to again report back on my activities and ask for your input.
On one level, 2019 was a very difficult year, from the federal government shutdown in January to impeachment of the President in December to deep division throughout, and 2020 is not starting off any better with the Iran crisis and other equally difficult issues. This is not what any of us wants for our great country and our world, and my efforts have remained directed at that better way forward we all deserve.
On another level, though, my first year back was very productive, from contributing to U.S. House passage of historic legislation, to forming the first-ever Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus, serving on the Appropriations and Natural Resources Committees, visiting our troops serving overseas, honoring our Nisei World War II veterans in France, and serving your needs and staying in touch with you back home. I’ve provided just a sample of my 2019 activities below.
As my office and I now begin 2020, we remain fully focused on our four goals of (a) contributing to strong and inclusive national leadership, (b) addressing Hawaii’s needs in DC, (c) assisting you and yours with your own concerns, and (d) staying in touch with you every way I can. I need and ask for your continued input, and so am hosting another four open house Talk Story community meetings throughout my district in January. Here's my schedule:
You’re Invited! Talk Story with Congressman Ed Case
Four Community Meetings
January 21st, 23rd, 24th and 25th
|
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
6:30PM-8:30PM
Wai‘au Elementary School
98-450 Hookanike Street, Pearl City
|
Thursday, January 23, 2020
6:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Kalani High School
4680 Kalaniana‘ole Highway
|
Friday, January 24, 2020
6:30PM-8:30PM
Mililani High School
95-122 Meheula Parkway, Mililani |
Saturday, January 25, 2020
9:30 AM-11:30 AM
Keone‘ula Elementary School
91-970 Kaileolea Drive, ‘Ewa Beach |
|
Please visit my website at
case.house.gov for further information on my activities. Please also sign up for my regular
e-newsletter there.
My staff and I are truly grateful for the responsibility of serving you and our Hawai’i in Congress, and we look forward to hearing from you.
2019 HIGHLIGHTS
Here are just a few representative highlights from my first year back in Congress:
|
JANUARY
• Sworn into 116th Congress (2019-2021); retained full staff and opened offices on Capitol Hill and in Honolulu
• Appointed to House Committees on Appropriations ($1.4 trillion in annual federal spending) and Natural Resources (federal lands and oceans and indigenous peoples)
• Co-introduced first bill, HR 1, the For the People Act, a sweeping government reform proposal (later passed by the full House)
• Appointed to the Executive Board of the Congressional Asia Pacific American Caucus
Getting the next generations interested in
government in my DC office.
FEBRUARY
• Co-introduced and voted for full House passage of HR 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to address gun violence
• First of regular meetings with Hawaii state and county governments to coordinate federal assistance for state and local issues
• Co-introduced an extension of the deadline to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment
• Co-introduced HR 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act (later passed by full House)
MARCH
• Testified before the House Appropriations Committee in support of East-West Center and Hawai‘i-IndoPacific initiatives
• Traveled to Okinawa to meet with government and community leaders on US military presence
• Obtained full House passage of first-floor amendment, to HR 1 incentivizing small-dollar campaign contributions
• Televised first monthly Congressman Ed Case Reports show on ‘Ōlelo Community Broadcasting
APRIL
• Questioned Attorney General Barr on Mueller Report in Appropriations Committee
• Hosted first five Talk Story with Congressman Ed Case open house community meetings
• Testified before the House Armed Services Committee in support of Hawaii’s role in IndoPacific defense
• Joined Appropriations Committee bipartisan congressional delegation to Hawai‘i, Guam, Singapore and the Philippines
Presenting SFC Richard Poe of ‘Āina Haina with his
official Congressional Gold Medal replica for service
with the Army's storied 65th Infantry Regiment in the
Korean War.
MAY
• Co-introduced a resolution recognizing the nation’s small businesses and testified before the House Small Business Committee on Hawai‘i small business issues
• Obtained full House passage of floor amendment to HR 9, the Climate Change Action Now Act, to focus on the world’s oceans
• Traveled to Kosovo and Egypt to visit and talk story with deployed Hawai‘i Army National Guard troops
• Inspected status of repairs to USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor with US Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt
JUNE
• Met in DC office with trustees of Office of Hawaiian Affairs on federal initiatives supporting Native Hawaiians
• Joined Republican colleague John Rutherford in addressing US-China relations at US Institute of Peace’s Bipartisan Dialogues in DC
• Hosted talk story open house on veterans issues at O’ahu Veterans Center
• Met in DC office with UH President David Lassner and team on federal funding initiatives for UH programs
JULY
• Updated Rotary Club of Ewa Beach and Waikīkī Rotary Club on national and Hawai‘i issues before Congress
• Managed Special Order Hour in full House focused on the nation’s accelerating deficits and debt
Getting the next generations interested in government in my DC office
• Visited Hawai‘i Health and Harm Reduction Center, Hawai‘i Community Foundation and other community organizations to focus on homelessness and social safety net
• Formed the first-ever Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus to focus Congress on issues and opportunities in the broader Pacific
Overseeing $1.4 trillion in annual federal spending
on the Appropriations Committee.
AUGUST
• Keynote speaker at largest apprentice graduating class ever at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Hawaii’s largest industrial employer
• Hosted talk story meetings on environmental/natural resources, organized labor and federal funding
• Met with Hawai‘i Tourism Authority board on Hawai‘i visitor industry issues and needs
• Introduced Safe and Quiet Skies Act to address tour helicopter/small aircraft safety and community disruption concerns
SEPTEMBER
• Conducted roundtable with Hawai‘i Pacific Export Council on federal assistance for exporting Hawai’i products and services
• Co-introduced HR 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, to tackle outrageously high prescription drug costs (later passed by full House)
• Introduced Protecting Local Authority and Neighborhoods Act to curb illegal vacation rentals disrupting communities and driving up home prices and rentals
• Hosted the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii’s fellows in DC to discuss federal support for Hawai‘i agriculture
OCTOBER
• Served as the keynote speaker and presiding officer at the United Filipino Council of Hawaii’s 67th annual meeting
• Represented Congress in France at 75th anniversary of the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team’s liberation of the Vosges hilltowns and rescue of the Lost Battalion
• Voted for full House passage of the SHIELD (Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy) Act
• Conducted roundtable with Hawai’i Chamber of Commerce on federal support for Hawaii’s economy and jobs
NOVEMBER
• Joined the O‘ahu Veterans Council in Memorial Day ceremonies at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
• Walked with the Takai family and friends in support of pancreatic cancer research at the First Annual Mark Takai Walk for Hope in Waipi‘o
• Introduced, with Republican Steve Womack, Budget Sustainability Act to focus on our rapidly deteriorating federal finances
• Visited Mauna Loa Observatory to review further support for world-leading weather and climate research
DECEMBER
• Introduced three proposals to reform the Jones Act which maintains a virtual monopoly on Hawaii’s shipping lifeline and is a major contributor to Hawaii’s high cost of living
• Introduced a proposal to significantly restrict import of invasive species into Hawai‘i
• Voted to impeach the President (Here is my explanation of my vote.)
• Presented SFC Richard Poe of ‘Āina Haina with his official Congressional Gold Medal replica for service with the Army’s storied 65th Infantry Regiment in the Korean War
Conducting one of my 17 Talk Story with
Congressman Ed Case open house community
meetings.
SERVING YOU
My staff in D.C. and Honolulu and I are here to serve you. These are just some of our services:
• Welcoming your Input and Questions. We want to know what you think and to answer your questions.
• Visiting Our Offices. Please visit our offices in D.C. and Honolulu. In D.C. we can also show you our U.S. Capitol and assist with other tours.
• Casework. We can help you and yours with your own concerns in areas like Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, immigration and many others.
• Joining Your Events and Recognizing Achievements. We look forward to joining your community events. We can also send congratulations for special occasions.
For these and other services, please contact us at our phone numbers on the address page, or at ed.case@mail.house.gov or our website at https://case.house.gov.
Please also sign up for my regular e-newsletter at https://case.house.gov/contact/newsletter-subscribe and follow my social media accounts for a closer look at my daily activities both in Hawai‘i and Washington, DC. You can find me @RepEdCase on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram, or you can use the links at the right-hand sidebar above. There is also more information on me, my office, activities, record and services I can provide for you and your ‘ohana at my website (case.house.gov).
Again, mahalo and aloha!!
