{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\", state = \"HI\" and year = 2021 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=730", "Case Announces Nominations To Nation's Service Academies For Incoming '22 Class", "2021-12-23", "2021", "2021-12", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=23", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced his 2022 nominations to four of our nation\u2019s service academies: the U.S. Military Academy (West Point/Army); U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis/Navy); U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs/Air Force) and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point).\n\n\u201cI take my responsibility to nominate deserving applicants from my district to our legendary service academies very seriously, and personally interviewed all 34 potential nominees before making my decisions on nominations,\u201d said Case. \u201cI was truly impressed with the applicants, and it was very encouraging and rewarding to have spent time with our next generation of military leaders.\u201d\n\nCase named the following nominees to the four service academies (#1 of each being his principal nominee for that academy):\n\nUnited States Air Force Academy\n\n1. Noah Zitz Kamehameha-Kap\u0101lama\n\n2. Sean Schofield Punahou\n\n3. Stephanie Bittle Moanalua HS\n\n4. Seonmin Kim Mililani HS\n\n5. Kailano Balbis Campbell HS\n\n6. Raine Komata Mililani HS\n\n7. Chloe Kinlaw Kaiser HS\n\n8. Chev Kodama Punahou\n\n9. Mia Tanioka \u2018Iolani\n\n10.Tiffany Eddy Yokota HS (Japan)\n\nUnited States Military Academy\n\n1. Leonardo Sabetta Mililani HS\n\n2. Hannah Shi Roosevelt HS\n\n3. Julia Mamiya Punahou\n\n4. Richard Ong Farrington HS\n\n5. Jethro Thomas Hawaii Baptist Academy\n\n6. Grant Austin Juan Marion Military Institute via McKinley HS\n\n7. Joshua Burnett U.S. Military Academy Prep School via Damien\n\n8. Sean Schofield Punahou\n\n9. Stephanie Bittle Moanalua HS\n\n10.Noah Zitz Kamehameha-Kap\u0101lama\n\nUnited States Naval Academy\n\n1. Jenny Cho Radford HS\n\n2. Michael Jagdon Mercersburg via Punahou\n\n3. Chay Cunnigham Maryknoll\n\n4. Canann Cortes Mother of Divine Grace School\n\n5. Katelyn Corpuz Punahou\n\n6. Megan Leong \u2018Iolani\n\n7. Annabelle Hong \u2018Iolani\n\n8. Joshua Gleason Pearl City HS\n\n9. Tiffany Eddy Yokota HS (Japan)\n\nUnited States Merchant Marine Academy\n\n1. Grant Austin Juan Marion Military Institute via McKinley HS\n\nMembers of Congress are authorized by law to nominate candidates to the four United States Service Academies \u2013 the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; the Military Academy at West Point, New York; and the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. The Coast Guard Academy at New London, Connecticut does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.\n\nAcceptance of an academy appointment requires at least a nine-year service obligation, including four years at an academy and at least five years of active duty service. For information on eligibility requirements and how to seek an appointment for the 2023 entering class, please go to Congressman Ed Case\u2019s web site https://case.house.gov/services/service-academy-nominations.htm.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=727", "Congress Passes $768 Billion Annual National Defense Authorization Act with Major Reforms Impacting Country and Hawai\u2018i", "2021-12-15", "2021", "2021-12", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=23", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced that Congress has passed the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that makes changes to the policies and organization of the country\u2019s defense agencies and provides guidance on how military funding can be spent. The Fiscal Year (FY) NDAA authorizes $768 billion in defense spending and includes key provisions reforming the military sexual harassment laws, addressing multiple military quality of life matters, investing in Hawaii\u2019s infrastructure and rebalancing our military\u2019s efforts in the Indo-Pacific.\n\n\u201cTo address how the military handles sexual assault cases, the NDAA includes the biggest reform in 50 years for the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which provides the legal framework and a special set of laws that govern all members of the United States military,\u201d said Case. \u201cThis important reform revamps the way in which the military handles sexual assault cases by taking the process out of the hands of commanders that may have conflicts of interest. Congress directed the military to transfer these cases to special independent prosecutors.\u201d\n\nCase said the NDAA also focused on military readiness with special attention paid to the quality of life among the troops. \u201cThe measure creates a tenants Bill of Rights for those who reside in military housing and calls for the development of more child care centers,\u201d explained Case. This provision is directly related to problems highlighted the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies, on which Case serves.\n\nAdditionally, the NDAA also:\n\nProvides a 2.7 percent pay increase for servicemembers,\n\nEstablishes a $15 minimum wage for covered service and construction contracts to help those in the private sector who support the U.S. military,\n\nAuthorizes $50 million to help local educational agencies that educate military dependent students, and\n\nAuthorizes $20 million for local educational agencies assisting military children with severe disabilities.\n\nCase said the NDAA also includes his amendment regarding Red Hill. The final version of the provision directs the military to conduct an assessment of possible alternatives to the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, including consideration of locations outside of the State of Hawai\u2018i. The amendment builds off the Hawai\u2018i Congressional Delegation\u2019s request for independent Inspector General review of Red Hill by requiring an independent American Petroleum Institute certified inspector to examine the facility. If Governor Ige allows Red Hill to continue under any conditions, the bill would require the piping system to ultimately be submitted to strengthened and more frequent inspection and repair requirements.\n\nOther amendments authored by Case and added to the final bill include:\n\nMilitary Community Engagement: Requires a briefing to Congress on best practices for the military\u2019s coordination of relations with State and Local Government entities in Hawai\u2018i. It will also direct the Department of Defense (DoD) to examine current community outreach efforts and propose options to enhance community engagement with and accessibility to the military in Hawai\u2018i. The provision is designed to help emphasizes that the military\u2019s efforts must account for both military and civilian concerns in Hawai\u2018i.\n\nHawai\u2018i Military Land Leases: Requires a Congressional briefing to Congress on the progress by DoD to renew each military land lease and easement in Hawai\u2018i.\n\nInvestigation into Lazing of Military Aircraft: Addresses the lazing of military aircraft in Hawai\u2018i by requiring an official investigation into these incidents and offering means of mitigating the risk to military aircraft and personnel.\n\nDefense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Report: Amends the DIA annual report on China\u2019s military power to require analysis of China\u2019s military engagements and assistance provided to the Pacific Islands Region.\n\nSecurity Partnerships Between the United States and Indo-Pacific Countries: Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress on the activities and resources required to enhance security partnerships between the United States and Indo-Pacific countries.\n\nCase said the NDAA also includes other provisions he advocated for and that are key to Hawai\u2018i and the Indo-Pacific, including:\n\nMissile Defense Radar \u2013 Hawai\u2018i (HDR-H): Authorizes $75 million to continue the development of HDR-H. This critical state-of-the-art radar system is designed to protect our country and state from ballistic missile threats from countries like North Korea and was strongly supported by our Indo-Pacific military leaders. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that Hawai\u2018i should have discrimination radar coverage against intercontinental ballistic missiles. (This follows continued funding for the radar obtained by Case in the annual defense appropriations measure.)\n\nMilitary Construction in Hawai\u2018i: Authorizes the following military construction projects in Hawai\u2018i, totaling roughly half a billion dollars:\n\nWest Loch Naval Magazine: $51 million\n\nWheeler Army Airfield Operations Building and Parking Apron: $140 million\n\nMarine Corps Base K\u0101ne\u2018ohe Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, Phase 2: $101 million\n\nMarine Corps Base K\u0101ne\u2018ohe Electrical Distribution Modernization: $65 million\n\nMarine Corps Training Area Bellow Perimeter Security Fence: $6 million\n\nJoint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Veterinary Treatment Facility Replacement: $30 million\n\nMaui Experimental Lab Planning and Design: $9 million\n\nFort Shafter Command and Control Facility: $55 million\n\nAeromedical Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam: Requires a study on the feasibility and advisability of establishing an aeromedical squadron of the Air National Guard in Hawai\u2018i to support the needs of the State of Hawai\u2018i.\n\nGuam Integrated Air and Missile Defense System: Directs the DoD to identify the architecture and acquisition approach for implementing a 360-degree integrated air and missile defense capability to defend Guam from advanced cruise, ballistic and hypersonic missile threats.\n\nPacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI): Adds $2.1 billion to the initial proposal for PDI, which will now total $7.1 billion. This special fund is focused on improving the military\u2019s posture in the Indo-Pacific region and creating new capabilities to respond to challenges posed by China.\n\nThe bill also include provision to mitigate risk in critical defense supply chains and across the broader acquisition process, using leading-edge digital tools, technology, and approaches to enhance supply chain transparency. The bill reduces reliance on services, supplies and materials from China and Russia, and it restricts acquisition of personal protective equipment from those countries.\n\nFinally, the bill will improve the department\u2019s access to innovative technologies, which often come from small high-tech business likes those in Hawaii. It authorizes the Secretary of Defense to expand the efforts of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to engage and collaborate with private-sector industry and communities in regions that do not otherwise have a DIU presence, including in economically disadvantaged communities, and it directs the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program to help foster transition of the Department\u2019s science and technology programs, projects and activities into full scale implementation through the support of qualified intermediaries that provide technical assistance to technology producers to better participate in the Department\u2019s procurement programs and acquisition processes.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=723", "Hawai\u2018i Congressional Delegation Urges Governor Ige To Request Emergency Declaration, EPA Intervention In Water Contamination Crisis", "2021-12-07", "2021", "2021-12", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=23", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai\u2018i) and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Kaiali\u2018i Kahele (D-Hawai\u2018i) called on Governor David Ige to request that President Biden declare an emergency and direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to step in and assist with the water contamination crisis on Oahu.\n\n\u201cThe EPA\u2019s direct intervention in your request is essential,\u201d the delegation wrote in their letter to Ige. \u201cWhile the source of the contamination affecting the drinking water is still unknown, it is important that the public have confidence in the process that the Navy and Hawai\u2018i Department of Health (DOH) are using to draw samples from the Navy\u2019s water system to ensure the results show the true extent of the problem that threatens the health and safety of the people of Hawai\u2018i.\n\n\"The EPA has the expertise to validate the techniques and procedures that the Navy and DOH are using to draw their samples, and it can direct them to take corrective actions where appropriate. It can also draw its own samples to compare against as we work to identify, isolate, and fix the source of the contamination affecting the drinking water.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the letter can be found below and is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=722", "Hawai\u2018i Delegation Calls For Comprehensive IG Evaluation Into Navy\u2019s Ability To Safely Operate Red Hill", "2021-12-06", "2021", "2021-12", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=23", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i) and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Kaiali\u2018i Kahele (D-Hawai\u2018i) today called for a Department of Defense Inspector General (DOD IG) evaluation into the Navy\u2019s ability to safely operate Red Hill. Earlier this month, the delegation called for the DOD IG to determine whether the Navy properly investigated recent fuel releases and notified state health officials in a timely manner, and whether the Navy delayed investigation or notification in an attempt to secure a permit to operate Red Hill.\n\nToday\u2019s request asks the IG to conduct a more comprehensive, holistic evaluation to assess the overall safety of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Yesterday, Governor Ige and the Hawai\u2018i delegation called for the Navy to immediately suspend operations at Red Hill while they confront and remedy this crisis.\n\nThe letter follows a series of recent troubling safety hazards, including on November 20, 2021, where 14,000 gallons of fuel and water were released from a fire suppression drain line, ongoing widespread complaints from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam military housing residents about their potable water having a chemical or fuel smell, confirmed petroleum in the water at Red Hill Elementary School, and tests showing petroleum in drinking water at a Red Hill well confirmed by the Navy months ago.\n\nIn this latest request to the DOD IG, the delegation said, \u201cadditionally, as several of the recent incidents have involved leaks or releases from pipes connected to Red Hill and deemed part of the overall Red Hill system, we urge you to include in your evaluation an assessment of the safety of the piping system connected to Red Hill, as well as the effectiveness of personnel training in minimizing incidences caused by human error. Finally, the evaluation you conduct should include an independent review of the current safety of Red Hill\u2019s fuel tanks and the feasibility of the Navy\u2019s plan to either double-hull the twenty fuel tanks or close Red Hill by 2045.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe recognize the strategic importance of Red Hill to our national security. However, it is imperative that the public has confidence that Red Hill is and will be operated in a manner that safely protects the aquifer that supplies a majority of the potable water to Honolulu and the surrounding areas,\u201d the delegation added.\n\nThe Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility is operated by the United States Navy but supports U.S. military operations from all branches of service in the Pacific. It was constructed during World War II (1940\u20131943) and is located under a volcanic mountain ridge near Honolulu, Hawai\u2018i, about 2.5 miles east of Pearl Harbor. It is unlike any other fuel storage facility in the United States as it can store up to 250 million gallons of fuel in 20 steel lined tanks. Red Hill sits 100 feet above an aquifer that provides drinking water to a majority of residents on O\u2018ahu.\n\nIn 2014, approximately 27,000 gallons were released from the facility which resulted in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Hawai\u2018i Department of Health (DOH) negotiating an enforceable agreement, also known as an Administrative Order on Consent, with the U.S. Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The Order requires the Navy and DLA to take actions, subject to DOH and EPA approval, to address fuel releases and implement infrastructure improvements to protect human health and the environment.\n\nA 2018 change to the Hawaii Administrative Rules required the Navy to obtain a permit to continue to operate the Red Hill tanks. The Navy\u2019s 2019 permit request was contested by the Sierra Club of Hawaii and the case was recently re-opened due to the 2021 incident involving Red Hill. A determination on Navy\u2019s permit application is pending from the Hawaii Department of Health.\n\nLetter follows an initial targeted request into specific allegations of whether the Navy engaged in a cover-up or intentionally delayed reporting of a fuel leak at Red Hill to secure operating permits\n\nDelegation sends request following a troubling series of safety hazards at Red Hill, including most recently, reports of petroleum detected in the water at Red Hill elementary school and confirmedpetroleum contamination in drinking water months ago\n\nYesterday, Governor Ige and the Hawai\u2018i delegation called for the Navy to immediately suspend operations at Red Hill while they confront and remedy this crisis\n\nMembers call into question the Navy\u2019s ability to safely operate Red Hill and state that the continued series of events have sowed community distrust\n\nFull text of the letter is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=721", "Gov. Ige and Hawaii\u2019s Congressional Delegation Call For Immediate Suspension Of Operations At Red Hill", "2021-12-05", "2021", "2021-12", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) - Gov. David Ige and Hawaii\u2019s Congressional delegation, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai\u2018i) and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Kaiali\u2018i Kahele (D-Hawai\u2018i), released the following statement calling for the Secretary of the Navy to immediately suspend operations at Red Hill following the contamination of drinking water at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam:\n\n\u201cTest results confirming contamination of drinking water at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam show that the Navy is not effectively operating the World War II-era facility and protecting the health and safety of the people of Hawai\u2018i. We are calling for the Navy to immediately suspend operations at Red Hill while they confront and remedy this crisis.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=720", "Hawai\u2018i Congressional Delegation: Navy Has Failed To Safely Manage Fuel Operations, Must Provide Affected Families With Safe Water, Access To Lodging, Laundry, Other Necessities", "2021-12-03", "2021", "2021-12", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai\u2018i) and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Kaiali\u2018i Kahele (D-Hawai\u2018i) released the following statement after test results found petroleum contaminants in the Navy\u2019s water system, which supplies water to thousands of Oahu families:\n\n\u201cWhile the test results leave many questions, it is clear that the Navy has failed to manage its fuel operations, including Red Hill, to a standard that protects the health and safety of the people of Hawai\u2018i. The Navy must immediately identify, isolate, and fix the problems that have allowed the contamination of the drinking water at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. That includes a wholesale change in an organizational culture that has allowed too many accidents to occur without any accountability.\n\n\"We expect the Navy to also provide all affected residents with safe drinking water, and access to temporary lodging, laundry services, and other necessities that will help them get through this crisis. The Navy must also work with state regulators to identify and isolate other potential fuel leaks that risk further contamination of drinking water resources on Oahu. Finally, we urge the governor to request that the president declare an emergency as soon as possible so that the state has access to every resource available to make families whole and protect the people of Hawai\u2018i from future leaks.\n\n\"We will remain personally involved in applying the full resources of our offices and Congress to ensuring that the Navy fully resolves this crisis.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=726", "Hawai\u2018i Congressional Delegation to Navy Secretary: Navy Must Act Immediately To Test, Protect Water, Provide Hawai\u2018i Residents With Access To Safe Water", "2021-11-30", "2021", "2021-11", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai\u2018i) and U.S. Representatives Ed Case (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Kaiali\u2018i Kahele (D-Hawai\u2018i) released the following statement after meeting with Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro to discuss fuel operations in Hawai\u2018i:\n\n\u201cToday, we met with Secretary Del Toro to discuss our concerns with Red Hill and the Navy\u2019s fuel operations in Hawai\u2018i. The Navy owes the community straightforward communications on all events that occur at Red Hill and a commitment to address concerns with the Red Hill infrastructure no matter the cost. Given the resources and engineering expertise available to the Navy, we made it clear that there is zero tolerance for endangering the health and safety of the public or the environment. Most recently, reports of fuel potentially contaminating the water supply at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam followed by a slow, inadequate response are especially troubling. The Navy must act immediately and do everything it can to expedite the testing being done on the mainland to determine any risks to the drinking water. It also needs to ensure that residents in all affected areas have access to safe drinking water until the Navy and state regulators can assure the public it is safe. We also expect clear and consistent communication with the public about all matters, but particularly those that impact health and safety.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:30:49Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=714", "Case Votes For House Passage Of The Build Back Better Act", "2021-11-19", "2021", "2021-11", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) released this statement after voting this Friday morning for successful passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of the proposed $2.1 trillion American Families Plan, also known as the Build Back Better Act:\n\n\u201cThis vote to advance the Build Back Better Act to the Senate was one of the most consequential I will ever take. To get it right, for the last few months I have joined many colleagues in taking the time required to fully understand a complicated and often-changing 2,100-page bill, and to assure that it will actually deliver for those most in need and will be a responsible and sustainable investment of our nation\u2019s financial resources.\n\n\u201cAfter fully reviewing the bill\u2019s provisions as well as a full financial review from our Congressional Budget Office, and further discussing the measure with my colleagues, the White House, my constituents and others, I concluded that I had the information I needed to make a fully informed decision and decided to vote to advance the measure to the Senate for further consideration.\n\n\u201cAmong many critical provisions, the bill makes historic investments in combatting climate change, providing our keiki a better start in life, helping struggling families and lowering the costs of health care especially prescription drugs. Equally critically, it does so in a fiscally responsible way as the costs of these investments are largely paid for rather than borrowed and are responsibly and fairly allocated.\n\n\u201cI especially want to thank the thousands of Hawai\u2018i residents who communicated their views on Build Back Better both pro and con and everywhere in between to me over the last months. Their input has been a critical part of my consideration and decision, and I am grateful for their patience as I have sorted through this decision.\n\n\u201cAs the Senate now takes up Build Back Better, it is very important to note that in all likelihood whole parts of the House-passed version will be removed or altered and other provisions added. So, we have a long road to go still to final passage of Build Back Better.\n\n\u201cNonetheless, House passage is a major milestone to go with the President\u2019s signature into law of our equally historic largest-ever $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Package just three days ago. I\u2019m especially looking forward to working to assure Hawai\u2018i receives our full fair share of that investment, which we estimate at upwards of $3 billion for our roads, ports, airports, broadband, schools and much more, to go with thousands of good-paying jobs and a major lift for our economy.\u201d\n\n[Case personally attended the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package signing ceremony at the While House on Monday.]\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:30:49Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=703", "Statement of Congressman Ed Case on Final House Passage of the $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan and on Advancement of the $1.75 Trillion Build Back Better Package", "2021-11-05", "2021", "2021-11", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) tonight released the following statement following the historic vote in the House:\n\n\u201cLate tonight I joined a majority of my U.S. House colleagues in voting for final passage of the historic $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, our largest-ever investment in America\u2019s roads and bridges, water infrastructure, climate resilience projects, internet access and much more,\u201d said Congressman Ed Case (HI-01).\n\n\u201cFor our Hawai'i, this means over $2 billion dollars in federal investment in our own crumbling infrastructure and in the thousands of jobs and economic generation it will yield.\u201d\n\nThe bill passed the House on a bipartisan basis and now goes directly to President Biden, who has stated that he will sign it into law immediately.\n\n\u201cI also voted with a majority of my House colleagues to advance the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better package, which would be our largest-ever investment in climate change and our social safety net\u201d, said Case. \u201cWe are on course to pass this equally historic bill out of the House and send it to the Senate the week of November 15th, subject to Congressional Budget Office confirmation of the measure\u2019s revenues and expenses.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:30:49Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=699", "Case Celebrates Filipino American History Month with Introduction of Resolution and Remarks in the Congressional Record", "2021-10-29", "2021", "2021-10", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) yesterday co-led introduction in the U.S. House alongside Congresswoman Young Kim and 34 of their colleagues of a bi-partisan measure to celebrate October as Filipino American History Month.\n\n\u201cEach year our country recognizes October as Filipino American History Month, a time for all Americans to celebrate the incredible past, present and future of our fellow citizens whose heritage lies in the great country of the Philippines,\u201d said Case in his written remarks submitted to the Congressional Record.\n\n\u201cI am especially humbled to do so as the Representative of Hawaii\u2019s First Congressional District, where some 195,000 Filipino Americans live, more than any other of our 435 districts throughout the country.\n\n\u201cWith Hawaii\u2019s Second Congressional District with the second largest Filipino Americans population, at about 175,000, our Fil-Am community in Hawai\u2018i stands at 370,000.\n\n\u201cIn total, fully a quarter of all Hawai\u2018i residents are Filipino Americans, by far the largest percentage of any state or territory.\u201d\n\nIn his remarks, Case spotlighted the arrival of the first Filipinos who immigrated to the United States on October 18, 1587, when the ship the Nuestra Se\u00f1ora de Esperanza arrived in Morro Bay, California. The first Filipinos to arrive in Hawaii came onboard the SS Doric with the fifteen \u201csakadas\u201d (contract laborers) arrived in Honolulu to work in the sugar plantations.\n\n\u201cTo Fil-Ams everywhere, Maraming Salamat Po and Dios Ti Agngina, congratulations. I truly look forward to partnering with you on your next proud chapters,\u201d said Case.\n\n\"As the 2nd largest Asian American group in the U.S. and the 3rd largest ethnic group in California, Filipino Americans have played an important part in our history and continue to contribute to our communities each day,\u201d said Congresswoman Young Kim (CA-39), the Republican co-lead of this legislation.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m glad I can help celebrate Filipino American History Month and honor the Filipino Americans in California\u2019s 39th District and across the country who make our nation a better place.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn honor of Filipino American History Month, I am pleased to celebrate the contributions of Filipino Americans in California and across the country,\u201d said Congressman Ted Lieu (CA-33). \u201cFilipino Americans are vital to the fabric of America. From serving in the military to working on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, Filipino Americans have made our country better.\u201d\n\nLieu continued: \u201cAs an immigrant, I believe that America\u2019s strength comes from its diversity and honoring individual cultures and their histories is a critical part of that. I am honored to join my colleagues in celebrating Filipino American History Month and continuing to fight for the needs of all American communities, including Filipino communities, in Congress.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a first-generation American and member of the AAPI community, I am always proud to recognize the numerous contributions made by those in our community,\u201d said Congresswoman Michelle Steel (CA-48). \u201cFilipino Americans add to the rich fabric of our country, and I am proud to join Rep. Case in introducing this resolution to honor the history, culture, and service of Filipino Americans.\u201d\n\n\u201cHappy Filipino American History Month! The first Filipino immigrants arrived in the United States in 1587 and settled on the Central Coast of California in Morro Bay, California,\u201d said Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24). \u201cSince then, Filipino community culture has been an integral part of the Central Coast. I\u2019m proud to join my colleagues in this resolution to officially recognize Filipino American History Month.\u201d\n\nAttachment: Case remarks in the Congressional Record for Filipino American History Month.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:24:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=689", "Case Announces One Million Dollars In Federal Grants For Key Wildlife Projects In Hawaii", "2021-10-21", "2021", "2021-10", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced that the State of Hawaii will receive more than $1 million in grants for three key projects to benefit unique wildlife and their habitats. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) included Hawai\u2019i among 16 states which won grants through its Competitive State Wildlife Grant (C-SWG) program.\n\n\u201cThese grants are critical investments by our federal government in partnership with local and state agencies to protect species that are unique to our island home,\u201d said Case, a member of the House Appropriations Committee with jurisdiction over FWS funding.\n\n\u201cThe Competitive State Wildlife Grants provide a proactive, collaborative and innovative mechanism for addressing significant threats to our nation\u2019s cherished wildlife and their habitats,\u201d said Martha Williams, FWS\u2019 Principal Deputy Director\n\n\u201cStemming the crisis of species extinction is a central component of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s America the Beautiful initiative.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne of the initiative\u2019s goals is to enhance wildlife habitat and improve biodiversity to keep species from reaching the point where they are too far gone to save. In addition, these grants provide support for State Wildlife Action Plans that underpin important efforts to conserve imperiled species and their habitats,\u201d said Williams.\n\nCase said one of the projects awarded a grant will enable the Hawai\u2019i Department of Land and Natural Resources to join forces with the University of Hawai\u2019i-Manoa\u2019s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and FWS to implement conservation actions for rare, Yellow-faced bees on O\u2019ahu. Stabilization and recovery of some of the last populations of the bees on O\u2019ahu is achievable with the installation of fencing around key habitat, planting of diverse native plant species correlated with nesting success, and deployment of artificial nest habitat, which provides protection against predators.\n\nAll FWS projects awarded grants include timely actions, such as range-wide species assessments and habitat improvements, that may help avert the need for new federal endangered species listings and that help states implement FWS recovery plans to cooperatively protect and conserve species that are currently listed.\n\nThe three grant projects for Hawai\u2019i include:\n\nProject Title\n\nSWG FederalShare\n\nNon-FederalMatch\n\nTotal ProjectCost\n\nMulti-Institution Hawaiian Land Snail Captive Propagation Network\n\n$ 500,000.00\n\n$ 166,667.00\n\n$ 666,667.00\n\nO\u2018ahu \u2018Elepaio Status, Demography, and Predator Control\n\n$ 246,188.00\n\n$ 82,600.00\n\n$ 328,788.00\n\nStabilizing Yellow-faced Bee Populations\n\n$ 333,983.00\n\n$ 111,526.00\n\n$ 445,509.00\n\nAttachments: pictures of Yellow-faced bee courtesy Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:24:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=668", "Case Announces $1.8 Million In Grants For Direct Service Programs In Hawai?i", "2021-09-28", "2021", "2021-09", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced that $1.8 million in grants have been awarded to service organizations in Hawai\u02bbi to empower people of all backgrounds to give of their time and talents to address some of the most pressing challenges in their communities.\n\n\u201cThe $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that Congress enacted and the President signed into law in March has made these funds available to stabilize and expand national service programs that have been responding to communities hit hard by COVID-19. The release of these funds will give more people the chance to serve their country and help make our Hawai\u02bbi a better place to live, work and raise our families,\u201d said Case.\n\nCase said that one grant of $1,076,963 was awarded to the Hawai\u02bbi Commission on National and Community Service to provide the program with the flexibility and resources needed to increase living allowances, build capacity and expand volunteering opportunities.\n\nAmeriCorps is a network of local, state and national service programs whose mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, AmeriCorps programs have acted to meet the emerging public health, education, food security and economic needs of communities across the country.\n\nCase said a second grant of $800,831 will go to the Kupu Environmental Stewardship Program. Kupu - which means to \u201csprout\u201d or \u201cgrow\u201d in Hawaiian - works to preserve Hawaii\u2019s natural resources while empowering youth through service-learning programs in conservation and sustainability.\n\nOne of Kupu\u2019s initiatives is its culinary program housed at the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Ho\u02bbokupu Center in Kewalo Basin, which has been used to prepare thousands of meals for needy families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nAs a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Case has been a strong supporter of annual funding increases for the Corporation for National and Community Services (CNCS), a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through national service initiatives. In July, the House passed, and Case voted in favor of, appropriations legislation for Fiscal Year 2022, which allocated $1.3 billion for CNCS, including $601 million for AmeriCorps State and National Grants, a $146 million increase from last year.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:17:01Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=667", "U.S. House Adopts Case Proposal To Strengthen Inspection and Safety Standards for Red Hill Fuel Tanks", "2021-09-23", "2021", "2021-09", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced that the full U.S. House has approved his floor amendment to the $768 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to require stricter inspection and safety standards for the military\u2019s fuel tanks and supporting infrastructure at Red Hill on O\u2019ahu.\n\nThe amendment was one of nine offered by Case, cosponsored by Congressman Kaiali\u2018i Kahele (HI-02), and adopted by the House prior to House passage of the NDAA today.\n\n\u201cMy amendment requires a significantly enhanced inspection standard for Red Hill\u2019s pipeline system and other supporting infrastructure and appurtenances,\u201d said Case, a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations with jurisdiction over defense spending. \u201cIt also requires the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) to apply that standard in a full updated inspection of the Red Hill facility to confirm system integrity, with results, a life-cycle sustainment plan and options for further improving the security and maintenance of the facility reported directly to Congress for any further action required.\u201d\n\nCase\u2019s successful amendment follows leaks earlier this year in the tank support system, which are pending a full NAVFAC report, along with the recent proposed Decision and Order issued by a hearing officer with the Hawai\u2018i State Department of Health (DOH) who recommended that the DOH renew the Navy\u2019s permit to operate and maintain Red Hill facility for five years subject to a number of additional conditions. One condition would similarly require all active tanks to be submitted to substantially strengthened and more frequent inspection and repair requirements.\n\n\u201cSince 2015 alone, the military has invested $218 million in infrastructure and maintenance programs at Red Hill, and another $470 million is budgeted for FY 2021 through FY 2025,\u201d said Case. \u201cIn my Appropriations work, with the Department of Defense (DoD) and otherwise, I have continually emphasized the critical importance of these funds, given both the concerns of Honolulu residents and the critical importance of Red Hill to our national defense in the Indo-Pacific.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have also continued to focus the Navy on other efforts to ensure Red Hill\u2019s safety, in particular a double-hull or double-hull equivalent requirement, which the Navy has committed to meet or else phase out tank use.\n\n\u201cIf and as any of these requirements or enhanced inspections indicates that even more ongoing funding is required, I will fully prioritize such funding in Congress.\u201d\n\nCase\u2019s other accepted NDAA amendments include:\n\n\u00b7 Hawai\u2018i Military Land Leases: Requires an annual report to Congress on the progress by DoD to renew each military land lease and easement in Hawai\u2018i.\n\nIt also emphasizes that the military\u2019s efforts must account for both military and civilian concerns in order to maintain public support for the presence of the military in Hawai\u2018i.\n\n\u00b7 Hawai\u2018i Master Land Use Plan Updates: Codifies a requirement to update the U.S. Indo-Pacom Hawai\u2018i Master Land Use Plan every five years until 2045 to synchronize all DoD activities on Hawai\u2018i to optimize the use of limited geography. It also expresses the sense of Congress that the DoD and Hawai\u2018i partnership should be based on the principles of respect for the land, people and culture of Hawai\u2018i that maximizes the joint use of DoD land holdings.\n\n\u00b7 Military Community Engagement: Requires a report on best practices for the military\u2019s coordination of relations with State and Local Government entities in Hawai\u2018i. It will also direct the DoD to examine current community outreach efforts and propose options to enhance community engagement and accessibility of the military in Hawai\u2018i.\n\n\u00b7 Marine Corps Infrastructure: Requires a report from the Marine Corps, which identifies what infrastructure is needed to directly support the Marine Corps\u2019 realignment in the Indo-Pacific. This will support efforts to improve the aging infrastructure at Marine Corps Base Hawai\u2018i.\n\n\u00b7 Investigation into Lazing of Military Aircraft in Hawai\u2018i: Addresses the lazing of military aircraft in Hawai\u2018i by requiring an official investigation into these incidents and offering means of mitigating the risk to military aircraft and personnel.\n\n\u00b7 Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Report: Amends the DIA annual report on China\u2019s military power to require analysis of China\u2019s military engagements and assistance provided to the Pacific Islands Region.\n\n\u00b7 Security Partnerships Between the United States and Indo-Pacific Countries: Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress on the activities and resources required to enhance security partnerships between the United States and Indo-Pacific countries.\n\n\u00b7 Military Presence in Palau: Expresses the sense that Congress is receptive to Palau\u2019s request that the United States establish a regular military presence in Palau for defensive purposes.\n\nCase said the NDAA also includes other provisions for which he has advocated that are key to Hawai\u2018i and the Indo-Pacific, including:\n\n\u00b7 Missile Defense Radar \u2013 Hawai\u2018i: Expresses the sense of Congress that Hawai\u2018i should have discrimination radar coverage against intercontinental ballistic missiles, equivalent to Alaska\u2019s long range discrimination radar and that the Missile Defense Agency should request adequate funding for the radar in the future years defense program. (This follows continued funding for the radar obtained by Case in the annual defense appropriations measure.)\n\n\u00b7 Authorizes $75 million to continue development of Homeland Defense Radar \u2013 Hawai\u2018i. The HDR-H is a critical state-of-the-art radar system designed to protect our country and state from ballistic missile threats from countries like North Korea and was strongly supported by our Indo-Pacific military leaders. This \u201cdiscriminating radar\u201d will be capable of identifying and classifying specific missile threats and will address current and emerging threats.\n\n\u00b7 Aeromedical Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam: Requires a study on the feasibility and advisability of establishing an aeromedical squadron of the Air National Guard in Hawai\u2018i to support the aeromedical mission needs of the State of Hawai\u2018i.\n\n\u00b7 Guam Integrated Air and Missile Defense System: Directs the DoD to identify the architecture and acquisition approach for implementing a 360-degree integrated air and missile defense capability to defend the people, infrastructure and Territory of Guam from advanced cruise, ballistic and hypersonic missile threats.\n\n\u00b7 Authorizes the following military construction projects in Hawai\u2018i:\n\no West Loch Naval Magazine: $51 million\n\no Marine Corps Base K\u0101ne\u2018ohe Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, Phase 2: $101 million\n\no Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Veterinary Treatment Facility Replacement: $30 million\n\no Maui Experimental Site Secure Integration Support Lab: $88 million\n\nThis year\u2019s bill also provides a 2.7 percent pay increase for servicemembers to keep up with inflation and civilian pay increases, and to help those in the private sector who support the U.S. military, the bill establishes a $15 minimum wage for covered service and construction contracts.\n\nIt further makes historic changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice to combat sexual assault in the military, authorizes $50 million to help local educational agencies that educate military dependent students, and authorizes $20 million for local educational agencies assisting military children with severe disabilities. Finally, it gives the mayor of Washington, D.C. the power to call up the District\u2019s National Guard troops during emergencies, which is the same authority enjoyed by state and territorial governors.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:17:01Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=656", "Case Announces that Post Office In Manoa Will Remain Open", "2021-09-22", "2021", "2021-09", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=24", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced that the post office that has served the M\u0101noa community for decades will remain open following a letter he sent to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to reconsider the decision to close the facility at the end of this month.\n\n\u201cThis is certainly good news, not just for the 24,000 residents in the community I was privileged to represent for so many years in our State House, but for delivery of government services where people live and work wherever possible,\u201d said Case. \u201cI applaud our local, regional and national USPS for taking a second look, recognizing local realities and making it work.\u201d\n\nCase said the United States Postal Service (USPS) reached an agreement with the operator of the M\u0101noa Contract Postal Unit (CPU) that will allow him to continue operations at the M\u0101noa Marketplace.\n\nThe USPS had initially called for the closure because the agency had denied the operator\u2019s request to account for increased costs including but not limited to the landlord\u2019s proposal to raise lease rents on the operator. The operator concluded then that it could not continue with a financially viable operation.\n\nIn his letter to the Postmaster General, Case, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, pointed to the concern that \u201cbecause of Hawaii\u2019s unique circumstances including very high land prices and cost of goods and services, many federal cost-benefit analysis formulas are not appropriate for Hawai\u2018i.\u201d In the past, Case has requested various studies from the General Services Administration to ensure that its leasing equations account for these higher costs.\n\nContract postal units are supplier-owned or suppler-leased sites operated by private vendors under contract to the USPS to provide postal products to the public at USPS prices.\n\nAttachment: Case letter to the Postmaster General dated September 17, 2021\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:17:01Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=626", "Case and Kahele Announce Millions in Federal Funding To Support Efforts To Combat COVID-19", "2021-08-13", "2021", "2021-08", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) and Congressman Kaiali\u02bbi Kahele (HI-02) today announced that $20 million has been released to Native Hawaiian health care entities to aid their response to COVID-19.\n\nThis funding is being distributed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). It provides six Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act (NHHCIA) award recipients resources to strengthen vaccination efforts, respond to and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and enhance health care services and infrastructure in their communities.\n\n\u201cThis announcement comes at a time when COVID-19 cases have risen dramatically throughout the islands, and hospital capacity to deal with those sickened by the virus stretched to the limit,\u201d said Case. \u201cI am grateful that this assistance will help to prevent those vaccinated from severe illness or death.\u201d\n\n\u201cHawai\u02bbi is experiencing a record high of COVID-19 cases. This funding will provide our Native Hawaiian communities with much-needed resources to increase vaccination efforts that will help slow the spread of COVID-19,\u201d said Kahele.\n\n\u201cEarlier today Congressman Case and I met with Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (NM-03), chair of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States in Hilo to discuss issues important to Native Hawaiians and their families. Access to quality health care, especially during the pandemic is crucial. This assistance will certainly help protect our most vulnerable.\u201d\n\n\"This latest round of American Rescue Plan funding is another piece of the Biden-Harris Administration's continued effort to support underserved communities that have been most affected by the pandemic,\" said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. \"This funding will help trusted Native Hawaiian health systems continue providing life-saving resources and care to their communities.\"\n\nIn 2020, NHHCIA award recipients provided services to more than 7,000 patients in Native Hawaiian communities. This funding will assist Native Hawaiian communities that experience barriers to accessing health care services, including geographic isolation, that significantly impact overall health.\n\n\"Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act award recipients understand the needs of Native Hawaiians and have partnerships with organizations in their communities,\" said Acting HRSA Administrator Diana Espinosa. \"This uniquely positions them to increase equitable access to COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and treatment, as well as needed comprehensive primary care.\u201d\n\nThe recipients are listed below:\n\nAward Recipient\n\nFunding Amount\n\nPapa Ola Lokahi\n\n$4,750,000\n\nHo'ola Lahui Hawaii\n\n$3,000,000\n\nKe Ola Mamo\n\n$3,000,000\n\nNa Pu'uwai\n\n$2,500,000\n\nHui No Ke Ola Pono\n\n$3,500,000\n\nHui Malama Ola Ha'Oiwi\n\n$3,250,000", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:11:17Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=621", "Case\u2019s BLUE Pacific Act Provisions Expanding U.S. Commitments To Pacific Islands Added To Major House Foreign Policy Package", "2021-07-20", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) reports that the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has included the bulk of his Boosting Long-Term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific (BLUE Pacific) Act in its major measure, the Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement (EAGLE) Act, as approved by the Committee last Thursday.\n\nThe EAGLE Act, H.R. 3524, is the U.S. House\u2019s signature foreign policy initiative in the current 117th Congress.\n\nIt would reassert U.S. leadership and engagement across an all-government spectrum in non-defense programs. It was approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee last Thursday after substantial debate.\n\nH.R. 2967, the BLUE Pacific Act, establishes a long-term comprehensive strategy for U.S. engagement in the critical Pacific Islands region. The sections included as part of the EAGLE Act would:\n\n\u00b7 Expand U.S. diplomatic and development presence in the Pacific Islands;\n\n\u00b7 Require coordination of U.S. engagement, including security and development assistance, through a formal consultative process with regional partners, allies and multilateral institutions;\n\n\u00b7 Direct U.S. agencies to devise and implement a strategy to invest in climate resilient development projects, including by using the U.S. voice and vote at international financial institutions, and authorize $50 million per year for the next five years for this purpose;\n\n\u00b7 Expand coverage of the International Law Enforcement Academies program to the Pacific Islands;\n\n\u00b7 Establish a comprehensive strategy for U.S. security assistance to the Pacific Islands to enhance maritime security, address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, tackle transnational crimes like human and drug trafficking, and more;\n\n\u00b7 Increase U.S. efforts to assist the Pacific Islands in addressing transnational crime through ratification and implementation of international legal instruments and enhanced action on illegal forestry and logging;\n\n\u00b7 Implement an emergency preparedness initiative for the Pacific Islands through education and training programs, technical assistance and more, and authorize $40 million per year for the next five years for this purpose; and\n\n\u00b7 Expand Peace Corps presence in the Pacific Islands.\n\nCase introduced an initial version of the BLUE Pacific Act in the 116th Congress together with other members of his bipartisan Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus which he co-founded. More information on the Caucus is here: https://pacificislandscaucus-case.house.gov/.\n\nThe current version is substantially updated with further input from federal agencies as well as many of the countries of the Pacific. Case\u2019s remarks on introduction of the BLUE Pacific Act https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356 .\n\n\u201cI welcome inclusion of much of the BLUE Pacific Act in the EAGLE Act, our House\u2019s signature foreign policy package to reassert U.S. global leadership and engagement,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cThis sends a powerful message to our critical Pacific Islands partners and allies that our country values our relationships and intends to invest further in them and to continue as an active and engaged partner in pursuit of our shared interests and in defense of our shared values.\u201d\n\nPending potential consideration by other committees of jurisdiction, the EAGLE Act will head to the full House for consideration.\n\n\u00b7 Meeks\u2019 statement on last Thursday\u2019s committee passage: https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-releases?ID=AEA032A8-D0A0-43A5-9775-4BE3B5D9C556\n\n\u00b7 Original press release on the bill: https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-releases?ID=411185A8-740D-4FD3-947D-E5A304D6CB27\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=612", "Case's Appropriations Committee Advances Key Hawai\u2019i Infrastructure Initiatives In $53 Billion Energy And Water And $84 Billion Transportation And Housing And Urban Development Fiscal Year 2022 Federal Funding Measures", "2021-07-16", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) has announced approval by his U.S. House Committee on Appropriations of the final two of twelve measures to fund the federal government for Fiscal Year 2022 (commencing October 1, 2021): the $53 billion Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations (E&W) bill; and the $84 billion Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations (T-HUD) measure.\n\nOf the E&W bill, Case, a member of the Appropriations Committee, said: \u201cAs Hawai\u2018i continues to lead the nation in moving away from fossil fuel reliance for our energy needs, our measure supports the deployment of clean energy technologies and green jobs, and confronts the climate crisis.\u201d\n\nCase also cited the bill\u2019s investments in our nation\u2019s water infrastructure, including his request, under Member-designated Community Project Funding (CPF), to provide $800,000 for a Honolulu Harbor Modification Feasibility Study, to go with an overall increase in Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund funding to $2.1 billion.\n\n\u201cHonolulu Harbor is Hawaii\u2019s lifeline to and from the world, as it receives and distributes more than 90 percent of all of the goods that come to our state,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cThis funding would supplement state funding to charge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with assessing the current vulnerabilities of the harbor to natural disaster, navigation mishap and sea level rise, and then propose opportunities, alternatives or solutions to identified vulnerabilities.\u201d\n\n\u201cCPF requests are submitted by individual Members and are for specific projects and purposes in our respective districts,\u201d explained Case. \u201cCPF requests are only for state and local governments or non-profits organizations.\n\nThese projects must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed, and they are subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office.\u201d Case\u2019s disclosures are here https://case.house.gov/media/funding-disclosures.htm\n\nOther programs and provisions requested and secured by Case in the E&W measure include:\n\n\u00b7 $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, is enormously beneficial to its recipients that 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\u2018i: electrical infrastructure resiliency in Honolulu, and alternative and autonomous mobility options for Kaua\u2018i.\n\n\u00b7 Report language directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address the flooding concerns in Kaua\u2018i 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.\n\n\u00b7 $177 million for the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response. This funding provides for efforts to secure the nation\u2019s energy infrastructure against all hazards, reduce the risks of and impacts from cybersecurity events, and assist with restoration activities.\n\n\u00b7 $375 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program, an increase of $65 million above FY 2021 level. This funding will support the weatherization of nearly 50,000 low-income households and directly benefits the improvement of older homes in Hawai\u2018i that pass from generation to generation.\n\n\u00b7 $600 million for Advanced Research Projects \u2013 Energy, an increase of $173 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\u2019s critical economic, environmental, and energy security challenges.\n\n\u00b7 $61 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer\u2019s Continuing Authorities Program which provides a useful tool for the Corps to undertake small localized projects without the lengthy study and authorization process typical of larger projects.\n\n\u00b7 $75 million for geothermal technologies and for next-generation geothermal demonstration projects in diverse geographic areas.\n\nThe T-HUD measure 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.\n\n\u201cIn our T-HUD measure our Committee especially focused on improving our transportation network, addressing aircraft safety and noise disruption, and providing a critical lifeline to those increasing numbers left vulnerable to homelessness,\u201d said Case.\n\nThe bill includes:\n\n\u00b7 $18.9 billion for the FAA, including $1.5 billion for Aviation Safety.\n\n\u00b7 $1.3 billion for the Maritime Administration, including $318 million for the Maritime Security Program and $300 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program.\n\n\u00b7 Report language (Congressional instructions) 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.\n\n\u201cOur bill also grows opportunity through homeownership and rental assistance, including new housing vouchers targeted to families experiencing or at risk of homelessness and thousands of units for seniors and persons with disabilities,\u201d said Case.\n\nHousing-related funding requested and secured by Case include:\n\n\u00b7 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.\n\n\u00b7 $4 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG). The NHHBG funds support the building, acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable homes.\n\n\u00b7 $4.7 billion for the Community Development Fund.\n\n\u00b7 $3.4 billion for the Homeless Assistance Grants\n\n\u00b7 $65 million for the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program.\n\n\u00b7 $20 million for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program.\n\n\u00b7 $14 billion on total project-based rental assistance.\n\nIn response to chronic and now-again-escalating concerns in Hawai\u2018i and nationwide arising from tour helicopter and other commercial flights, the bill includes multiple provisions requiring the FAA to address various worsening safety and community disruption issues.\n\n\u201cTogether with my Safe and Quiet Skies legislation, which I reintroduced earlier this year in Congress and addressed before the full House (see attached), and the House Concurrent Resolution #81 (also attached) which was adopted by our Hawai\u2018i State Legislature in this year\u2019s legislative session, I am continuing the efforts sought by myself and local lawmakers to address the disruptions and safety concerns that continue to plague our communities statewide,\u201d said Case. \u201cAnd judging from similar requests from my colleagues and this bill\u2019s extensive responses, we are not alone in our country on these issues.\u201d\n\nAmong the bill and related report\u2019s provisions are directives to the FAA to:\n\n\u00b7 Finish its report, as required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (P.L. 116\u2013260), 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.\n\n\u00b7 Spend an additional $8 million to 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 public; make aggregated information from the FAA noise portal available to the public; and ensure FAA participation and technical analysis at roundtables, workshops and other public forums about noise.\n\n\u00b7 Update Congress on FAA effort to implement recommendations from the Government Accountability Office\u2019s report (GAO\u201321\u2013200, attached) 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.\n\n\u00b7 Invite federal agencies that operate military, law enforcement or rescue aircraft to participate in community noise events.\n\n\u00b7 Consult with the Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise and the Council on Environmental Quality on the implications the agency\u2019s noise policy review may have on fields and industries outside of aviation.\n\nCase\u2019s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating some $1.5 trillion in funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis through twelve separate bills.\n\nThe E&W and T-HUD bills now moves on to the full House of Representatives for consideration.\n\nA summary of the E&W bill is here. A summary of the T-HUD bill is here.\n\nOn the T-HUD measure:\n\n\u00b7 The Government Accountability Office\u2019s report GAO\u201321\u2013200 is here.\n\n\u00b7 Case\u2019s remarks before the full House on his Safe and Quiet Skies is attached.\n\n\u00b7 House Concurrent Resolution #81 is attached.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=606", "Case's House Appropriations Committee Advances $254 Billion Fiscal Year 2022 Labor/Health/Human Services/Education Funding Measure", "2021-07-15", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced his House Appropriations Committee\u2019s approval today of its Fiscal Year 2022 Labor, Health, Human Services and Education funding measure, with $254 billion in discretionary funding for 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.\n\n\u201cAs we continue to emerge from the pandemic, our measure will bolster our public health infrastructure with resources for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and for states and local governments to strengthen their own health infrastructure and capacity,\u201d said Case, a member of the Appropriations Committee.\n\n\u201cI am especially pleased that my Committee approved my Community Project Funding (CPF) requests to support a new headquarters for the Blood Bank of Hawai\u2018i and a rural health research facility at the University of Hawai\u2018i.\u201d\n\nThis year the House supported CPF requests by individual Members of Congress for specific projects and purposes in their district. 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\u2019s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/media/funding-disclosures.htm.\n\nCase secured the following CPF projects in the Labor-HHS-Ed Appropriations bill:\n\n\u00b7 $2,000,000 for facilities and equipment at the Blood Bank of Hawai\u2018i,\n\n\u00b7 $1,000,000 for rural health research initiatives at the University of Hawai\u02bbi,\n\n\u00b7 $975,000 for digital skills literacy training at the State of Hawai\u2018i Workforce Development Council, and\n\n\u00b7 $1,050,000 for facilities and equipment at K\u014dkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services.\n\n\u201cThe pandemic has forced many in our community to consider changing course and pursuing another career path,\u201d said Case. \u201cThe initiative of the State of Hawai\u2018i Workforce Development Council, which this bill funds, will provide digital literary training via in-person computer classes and access to online learning resources.\u201d\n\nCase continued: \u201cThe goal of the program is to produce a digitally-ready statewide workforce by reaching up to 8,000 people with basic computer skills training and providing access to more advanced workforce skills through online learning resources to over 2,500 people.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe last year has also made abundantly clear that much more must be done to address social determinants of health and tackle the root causes of health disparities\u201d, said case. \u201cI am grateful for our bill\u2019s funding of the construction of a new indigenous-focused health and education center at K\u014dkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, which aims to provide more tailored, culturally-competent care to those made vulnerable to COVID-19 and chronic disease. The center will also provide for community space as well as training for community health workers and clinical staff to integrate indigenous knowledge and practices into conventional clinical programs at health centers, hospitals and other health care settings.\u201d\n\nAdditional programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:\n\n\u00b7 $22 million for the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems, which is $1.5 million above the FY 2021 enacted level.\n\n\u00b7 $40 million for the Native Hawaiian Education Program, a $3 million increase from the FY 2021 enacted level and the President\u2019s budget request.\n\n\u00b7 $1.8 billion for Community Health Centers, $147 million above FY 2021 and $97 million more than the President\u2019s budget request, to provide high quality, cost-effective health care to predominantly low-income and medically-underserved communities.\n\n\u00b7 $20.5 million for the Health Careers Opportunity Program to assist students from minority and economically disadvantaged backgrounds navigate careers in the health profession.\n\n\u00b7 $25 million for the Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program, $6 million above the FY 2021 enacted level and equal to the President\u2019s budget request, to assist institutions of higher education that serve Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students.\n\n\u00b7 $116.5 million for McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program, which provides school stability and gives homeless youth access to the services they need.\n\n\u00b7 $70 million for Native American Nutrition and Supportive Services, an increase of $35 million from FY 2021 enacted level and equal to the President\u2019s 2022 budget request. This program provides grants to promote the delivery of nutrition and home and community-based services to Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian k\u016bpuna.\n\n\u00b7 $96 billion for 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.\n\n\u00b7 $1.3 billion for the Federal TRIO Program, $200 million more than the FY 2021 enacted level and equal to the President\u2019s 2022 budget request, 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.\n\n\u00b7 $23 million in Supplemental Education Grants, an increase of $6 million above the 2021 enacted level and $3 million above the President\u2019s budget request, for general education assistance in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.\n\nThe measure also includes:\n\n\u00b7 Report language allocating $1 million for the creation of a Native Hawaiian Resource Center on Domestic Violence to provide supportive services for adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence and dating violence and to prevent such incidents in Native Hawaiian communities.\n\n\u00b7 Report language providing $3 million for a Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity in the Office of Minority Health to advance Indigenous solutions to achieve health equity and encouraging the Department of Health and Human Services to partner with universities in these efforts.\n\n\u00b7 Report language allocating $3 million to establish a Native American Language Resource Center. The Language Resource Centers Program supports institutes of higher education in teaching and learning languages, including research on new teaching methods for educators and developing instructional materials, among other things.\n\nCase\u2019s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating some $1.5 trillion in funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis through twelve separate bills.\n\nThe measure now moves onto the full House of Representatives for consideration.\n\nA summary of the bill is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=609", "Case Advances Ocean Science And Conservation Initiatives In His House Appropriations Committee\u2019s $82 Billion Commerce-Science-Justice FY22 Funding Measure", "2021-07-15", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) has announced approval by his U.S. House Committee on Appropriations of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies funding bill, one of the twelve bills that will collectively fund the federal government for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 (commencing October 1, 2021).\n\nThe FY 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill proposes to fund $82 billion in federal trade, economic development, justice, law enforcement and science programs.\n\n\u201cThis bill addresses so many critical needs throughout our country, from economic development and assistance to fair trade enforcement, from world-leading scientific research and development in our oceans and atmosphere to advancing the next generations in STEM and pursuing the exploration of space, from support for state and local law enforcement to persistent violence against women and unsolved rape cases, from equal employment and civil rights enforcement to the basic right to legal counsel,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cIn each and all of these areas Hawai\u2019i has both unique needs and opportunities and an often world-leading role, and the federal programs this bill funds will address our needs, advance our roles and contribute to our economy and communities.\u201d\n\nThe CJS measure 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.\n\nThe bill includes Case\u2019s requests, under Member-designated Community Project Funding (CPF), to provide $415,000 for the Waik\u012bk\u012b Marine Life Conservation District Site Restoration project and $200,000 for the Moku o Lo\u2018e (Coconut Island) Marine Laboratory Refuge Eco-Friendly Sea Wall Research project.\n\nCase said: \u201cUtilizing the existing Hawaii Coral Restoration Nursery (HCRN) located at the State\u2019s \u0100nuenue Fisheries Research Center, the ($415,000) fund would be used to produce large living coral modules for outplanting in a concentrated area within the Waik\u012bk\u012b Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD) to enhance coastal resiliency for one of our state\u2019s major zones of economic activity and promote shallow-water marine tourism, relieving visitor pressure on the island\u2019s natural reef habitats.\u201d\n\nThe $200,000for the Moku o Lo\u2018e Marine Laboratory Refuge Eco-Friendly Sea Wall Research project \u201csupports a pilot investigation at our own world-class Hawai\u2018i Institute of Marine Biology that examines the capacity of innovative blue-green design approaches to enhance native coral habitat and provide protection to critical coastal infrastructure in Hawai\u2018i,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cCPF requests are submitted by individual Members and are for specific projects and purposes in our respective districts,\u201d explained Case. \u201cCPF requests are only for state and local governments or non-profits organizations. These projects must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed, and they are subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office.\u201d Case\u2019s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/media/funding-disclosures.htm.\n\nOther programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:\n\n\u00b7 $4.5 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;\n\n\u00b7 $61.5 million for Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas, including the Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea Marine National Monument;\n\n\u00b7 $48 million for NASA\u2019s Minority University Research and Education Project;\n\n\u00b7 $38 million for the Coral Reef Conservation Program;\n\n\u00b7 $146.5 million for protection, research and management of marine mammals, sea turtles and other species;\n\n\u00b7 $5 million for the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grants;\n\n\u00b7 $275 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnerships program;\n\n\u00b7 $684 million for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants and $451 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services;\n\n\u00b7 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\u2018i Green Growth;\n\n\u00b7 Report language directing the Federal Bureau of Prisons to establish residential re-entry centers in federal court districts like Hawai\u2018i that currently lack such facilities; and\n\n\u00b7 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.\n\nThe measure also includes:\n\n\u00b7 $6.5 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;\n\n\u00b7 $70 million for the Minority Business Development Agency;\n\n\u00b7 $36 billion for the Department of Justice, including $10.2 billion for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and $891.2 million for the Executive Office for Immigration Review;\n\n\u00b7 $25 billion for NASA;\n\n\u00b7 $9.6 billion for the NSF;\n\n\u00b7 $445.9 million for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and\n\n\u00b7 $118.5 million for the International Trade Commission.\n\nCase\u2019s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating some $1.5 trillion in funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis through twelve separate bills.\n\nThe CJS bill now moves on to the full House of Representatives for consideration.\n\nA summary of the bill is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=603", "Case Announces $53 Billion Homeland Security FY 2022 Funding Measure Approved by Case\u2019s House Appropriations Committee Strengthens National Border Enforcement, Emergency Management, Coast Guard Mission and Cybersecurity", "2021-07-13", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced today approval by his U.S. House Committee on Appropriations of the Department of Homeland Security funding bill, one of the twelve bills that will collectively fund the federal government for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 (commencing October 1, 2021).\n\nThe FY 2022 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill proposes to fund $53 billion in federal homeland security, immigration and emergency management programs.\n\nThis measure 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.\n\n\u201cThis bill will secure our critical infrastructure with dramatically increased funding to prevent future cyber-attacks and root out cyber intrusions, something that unfortunately has been occurring with increasing frequency across our country,\u201d said Case.\n\nThe bill includes Case\u2019s request, under Member-designated Community Project Funding (CPF), to provide $1,000,000 for the planning and design of the Hawai\u2018i Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (HI-EMA) State Emergency Operations Center in the Mililani First Responder Tech Campus.\n\n\u201cThis project will call for the construction of a hardened and modernized State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) at the First Responder Tech Campus to replace the aging Battery Birkhimer SEOC in Diamond Head Crater,\u201d said Case. \u201cThis project request covers the preliminary SEOC design phase, including the schematic designs and developing reporting requirements.\u201d\n\n\u201cCPF requests are submitted by individual Members and are for specific projects and purposes in our respective districts,\u201d explained Case. \u201cCPF requests are only for state and local governments or non-profits organizations. These projects must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed, and they are subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office.\u201d Case\u2019s disclosures are here https://case.house.gov/media/funding-disclosures.htm.\n\nOther programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:\n\n\u00b7 $101 million for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, which includes the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center at the University of Hawai\u2018i at M\u0101noa;\n\n\u00b7 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;\n\n\u00b7 Report language supporting the evaluation of space-based radio frequency detection technologies to support maritime domain awareness and combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing;\n\n\u00b7 Report language directing U.S. Customs and Border Protection to continue efforts to address invasive species in Hawai\u2018i and the non-contiguous U.S. territories;\n\n\u00b7 Report language directing TSA to examine the safety and efficiency of using local law enforcement partnerships to staff airport exit lanes under TSA oversight;\n\n\u00b7 Congressional direction to the administration on the continued introduction of invasive species to Hawai\u2018i and the non-contiguous U.S. territories;\n\n\u00b7 $365 million for the Emergency Management Performance Grants, which support state and local emergency management agencies like HI-EMA;\n\n\u00b7 $740 million for firefighter grant programs, which are a major source of funding for county fire departments; and\n\n\u00b7 $15 million for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program.\n\nThe measure also includes:\n\n\u00b7 Provides $132 million for new technology to support border security, including non-intrusive imaging technology;\n\n\u00b7 Provides $475 million to continue expansion of the Alternatives to Detention program;\n\n\u00b7 Allocates $100 million administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a non-custodial, community-based shelter grant program for immigration processing and case management services for migrants;\n\n\u00b7 Includes $41.5 million for U.S. Coast Guard personnel support, including tuition assistance, training and course development and more;\n\n\u00b7 Provides $2.4 billion for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, an increase of $397.4 million above the FY 2021 enacted level;\n\n\u00b7 Provides $830.4 million for science and technology accounts, including $7.7 million for the Minority Serving Institutions Program;\n\n\u00b7 Provides $110 million for Port Security Grants, an increase of $10 million above FY 2021;\n\n\u00b7 Authorizes the use of CBP and ICE funds to support efforts related to the reunification of separated migrant families.\n\nCase\u2019s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating some $1.5 trillion in funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis through twelve separate bills.\n\nThe Homeland Security funding bill now moves onto the full House of Representatives for consideration.\n\nA summary of the bill is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=604", "Case's House Appropriations Committee Advances Strong National Defense Presence In Hawai\u2018i And The Indo-Pacific In $706 Billion Fiscal Year 2022 Funding Measure", "2021-07-13", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) has announced approval by his U.S. House Committee on Appropriations of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Defense funding bill, one of the twelve bills that will collectively fund the federal government for FY 2022 (commencing October 1, 2021).\n\nThe FY 2022 Defense Appropriations bill proposes to fund $706 billion for 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.\n\n\u201cThis bill ensures continued protection of our national security, preserves our domestic manufacturing base and invests heavily in research and development,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cI especially welcome the bill\u2019s support of my many requests to maintain and advance our defense efforts in Hawai\u2018i and throughout the Indo-Pacific in a time of such uncertainty in our part of the world. These include in particular support for the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, our largest industrial employer, and to continue the Homeland Defense Radar-Hawai\u2018i (HDR-H), which is critical to ensuring Hawaii\u2019s own security.\u201d\n\nCase testified earlier this year in the House Committee on Armed Services on national security challenges and opportunities throughout the Indo-Pacific (speech here: https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=561). He also specifically sought restoration of funding for the HDR-H, which has been a priority of both Congress and our Indo-Pacific military leaders but was not included in the Administration\u2019s FY 2022 budget.\n\nPrograms and provisions requested and secured by Case include:\n\n\u00b7 $75 million to continue development of Homeland Defense Radar \u2013 Hawai\u2018i. The HDR-H is a critical state-of-the-art radar system designed to protect our country and state from ballistic missile threats from countries like North Korea and was strongly supported by our Indo-Pacific military leaders. This \u201cdiscriminating radar\u201d will be capable of identifying and classifying specific missile threats and will address current and emerging threats.\n\n\u00b7 $5 million to continue improving the safety of Underground Fuel Storage Tanks at the Red Hill Underground Fuel Facility. This funding is being applied toward evaluating secondary containment, measuring and controlling corrosion, improving testing, inspection, repair and maintenance processes, and improving groundwater monitoring and modeling. This funding ensures the safety of our precious drinking water, while mitigating any risks at Red Hill.\n\n\u00b7 Continued funding of over $2.2 billion for the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan (SIOP). Case requested funds to ensure support for the SIOP, which is undertaking a multi-year $21 billion effort to improve the Navy\u2019s public shipyards, including Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Hawaii\u2019s largest industrial employer.\n\n\u00b7 $79.5 million for the Defense Security Cooperation Agency\u2019s Regional Centers. This funding will help expand the work of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI-APCSS) 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.\n\n\u00b7 $292.5 million for Environmental Restoration, Formerly Used Defense Sites, which is $74 million over the President\u2019s budget request. These funds will help accelerate efforts to remove unexploded ordnance and discarded military munitions in Hawai\u2018i and throughout the nation.\n\n\u00b7 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\u2018i to respond quickly to changing threats in the Indo-Pacific region.\n\n\u00b7 Helicopter and Tiltrotor Noise Study report language, which directs the DoD\u2019s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) to study how local communities are impacted by military helicopter and tiltrotor noise. This study will result in noise contour maps that can be incorporated in community planning through the OLDCC\u2019s existing Noise Mitigation Community Partnership Program.\n\n\u00b7 Retention of the military contracting preference language for Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations.\n\nThe measure also includes:\n\n\u00b7 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. A key component of the PDI for FY 2022 is $62.4 million for the missile defense of Guam, which faces the threats ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles.\n\n\u00b7 Full funding necessary to support the proposed 2.7 percent military pay raise.\n\n\u00b7 $155 million for the Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative (REPI), which is $80 million over the President\u2019s request. 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. Through FY 2020, DoD and its partners have spent over $130 million on REPI projects at four installations in Hawai\u2018i.\n\n\u00b7 $14 million for the Asia Pacific Regional Initiative, a key program supporting U.S. IndoPacific Command. 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 relationship throughout the Indo-Pacific region.\n\n\u00b7 Transport and safe passage of Afghans who have provided faithful and valuable service to the United States and who are under serious threat.\n\n\u00b7 Efforts to confront the climate crisis with historic investments for clean energy and climate adaptation to protect facilities, readiness and global security.\n\nThe FY 2022 Defense Appropriations bill reflects a modest increase over last fiscal year\u2019s funding measure, an increase endorsed by the Secretary of Defense, and is in line with President Biden\u2019s budget request.\n\nCase\u2019s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating some $1.5 trillion in funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis through twelve separate bills.\n\nThe Defense Appropriations funding bill now moves onto the full House of Representatives for consideration.\n\nA summary of the bill is here\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=597", "Case Announces House Appropriations Committee Approval of Fiscal Year 2022 Federal Funding Measures for Military Construction, Veterans and Foreign Affairs", "2021-07-02", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) has announced approval by his U.S. House Committee on Appropriations of two more of the twelve bills that will collectively fund the federal government for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 (commencing October 1, 2021).\n\nThe first, the FY 2022 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, proposes to fund $124.5 billion in federal military construction and veterans programs.\n\nThe second, the FY 2022 State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, proposes to fund $62.2 billion to the State Department and other federal agencies and their NGO and private partners for our country\u2019s diplomatic and other non-defense international efforts.\n\nMilitary Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies\n\nThis measure funds 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. In remarks before the full Committee (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBt2I4PmpGg), Case, a member of the subcommittee responsible for this bill, emphasized the significance of this measure for our nation\u2019s defense and for keeping our promise to our veterans.\n\n\u201cThis bill is always of special importance to Hawai\u2018i for many reasons,\u201d said Case. \u201cFirst, as the center of our national defense in the Indo-Pacific, we must keep our military facilities fully up to date. In doing so, we also provide major assistance to our local businesses and families who earn a major share of their income from the federal government. That point was driven home during COVID-19, when, with tourism decimated, it was our defense economy here that pulled us through.\u201d\n\n\u201cSecond, with some 120,000 veterans in Hawai\u2018i and their families, making up one of the largest percentage of any state in our nation including in such key areas like women and minority veterans, I focus especially on the often unique challenges of delivering full veterans\u2019 health and other benefits in a diverse island state.\u201d\n\nPrograms and provisions requested and secured by Case include:\n\n\u00b7 $475 million for the Navy\u2019s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan, which is $379 million above the FY 2021 enacted level, and $225 million above the FY 2022 budget request. This program provides the main source of funding for planned major upgrades in the billions of dollars to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, one of just four of our nation\u2019s federal shipyards.\n\n\u00b7 $51 million for the West Lock Naval Magazine Annex, which would enable the Army to move its munitions from its current storage magazines at the Navy\u2019s Lualualei Annex near Wai\u2018anae on the leeward side to the West Loch Annex.\n\n\u00b7 $29.8 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.\n\n\u00b7 $2.2 billion for homeless assistance programs for our nation\u2019s veterans, an increase of $246 million above the 2021 enacted level and equal to the President\u2019s budget request. This funding will enhance VA\u2019s ability to reach homeless veterans, which is particularly crucial as the most recent homelessness survey showed that on a given night in January 2020, an estimated 37,252 veterans nationwide were experiencing homelessness.\n\n\u00b7 $307 million for Rural Health Initiatives, an increase of $7 million above the 2021 enacted level. This will build upon VA\u2019s success in having served 2.9 million veterans at 600 rural serving sites.\n\nThe measure also:\n\n\u00b7 Directs the military to address the parking shortage at the Tripler Army Medical Center.\n\n\u00b7 Requires the VA to assess the benefits of expanding the Veterans Affairs Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations Program in more areas, including Hawai\u2018i. This program offers veterans the ability to securely access VA care in purpose-built settings from easily accessed locations in their home communities.\n\n\u00b7 Directs the VA to ensure equity in support and outreach to WWII Filipino veterans overseas.\n\nState, Foreign Operations and Related Programs\n\nThis measure funds U.S. foreign policy programs and agencies, including the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (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.\n\n\u201cComing on the heels of my BLUE Pacific Act, on which I recently spoke when I reintroduced the measure in the House (https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=560), and my continuing work with the bi-partisan Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus (https://pacificislandscaucus-case.house.gov/) which I created shortly after my return to Congress in 2019, I am very grateful that my Appropriations Committee fully appreciates and funds the critical role the Pacific Islands region plays in our economic and national security interests,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cThis assists not only our nation, but our Hawai\u2018i as many of our foreign policy institutions and efforts are located in Hawai\u2018i and are key contributors to our local economy,\u201d Case said.\n\nPrograms and provisions related to the Pacific Islands and the Indo-Pacific requested and secured by Case include:\n\n\u00b7 $19.7 million for the East-West Center, representing stable funding year-to-year after a decade of efforts to reduce or even eliminate such funding;\n\n\u00b7 $1.6 billion for implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy to counter malign influence and promote peace, prosperity and democracy in the region;\n\n\u00b7 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;\n\n\u00b7 Report language urging the U.S. Development Finance Corporation to prioritize investments in the Pacific Islands, especially investments in minority- and women-owned businesses;\n\n\u00b7 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;\n\n\u00b7 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\n\n\u00b7 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.\n\nThe bill also sustains or increases funding for several foreign policy programs supported by Case, including:\n\n\u00b7 $1.6 billion for the Green Climate Fund;\n\n\u00b7 $1.7 billion for Contributions to International Organizations and $1.9 billion for Contributions for International Peacekeeping Activities, which includes U.S. dues and arrears;\n\n\u00b7 $750 million for Educational and Cultural Exchange programs, which include the Fulbright programs;\n\n\u00b7 $430.5 million for the Peace Corps, an increase of $20 million over the FY 2021 enacted level;\n\n\u00b7 $6.1 billion for the President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, including $1.6 billion for the Global Fund;\n\n\u00b7 $4.6 billion for maternal and child health programs and combating infectious diseases;\n\n\u00b7 $950 million for basic education; and\n\n\u00b7 $8.5 billion for humanitarian assistance programs, including refugee assistance and international disaster assistance.\n\nCase\u2019s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating some $1.5 trillion in funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis through twelve separate bills.\n\nThe veterans, military construction and foreign affairs funding bills now move onto the full House of Representatives for consideration.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=598", "Case's  Appropriations  Committee Advances Funding Measures to Help Hawai\u2019i Agriculture and Protect Our Environment", "2021-07-02", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced today his U.S. House Appropriations Committee\u2019s approval of two more of twelve total bills to fund the federal government for upcoming Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 (beginning October 1, 2021), these targeting agriculture and conservation.\n\nThe first, the FY 2022 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, proposes to fund $43.4 billion for various environmental related programs and agencies.\n\nThe second would provide $26.6 billion for the FY 2022 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.\n\nInterior, Environment and Related Agencies\n\n\u201cThe Interior bill would provide funding to expand our national parks and conserve our \u2018\u0101ina for generations to come,\u201d said Case. \u201cIt would specifically fund a major expansion to Haleakal\u0101 National Park, which the National Parks Service will steward while maintaining community access to the land.\u201d\n\nThe Interior measure would allocate over $63 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the National Parks Service to acquire crucial land parcels across the country. Approximately $6.1 million from this fund would aid in the acquisition of 3,019 acres adjacent to Haleakal\u0101 National Park.\n\n\u201cMy Appropriations Committee also provided funding to help recover our endangered bird species in the islands such as the kiwikiu, or Maui parrotbill, as the bird fights to survive in the face of rising cases of avian malaria,\u201d said Case.\n\nThe Committee also approved Case\u2019s request for Community Project Funding (CPF) of $300,000 for the City and County of Honolulu to develop its city-wide Tree Inventory and Management Plan.\n\nOften underappreciated, O\u2018ahu\u2019s trees, especially in our highly dense urban center, besides lending beauty to our Honolulu, are environmental workhorses and essential components of both climate change adaptation and mitigation.\n\n\u201cAccording to the City and County of Honolulu, for each dollar spent on tree planting and care, Honolulu\u2019s trees provide $3 in benefits,\u201d said Case. \u201cRecent assessments have determined that O\u2018ahu has lost nearly 5 percent of its total tree canopy over the study area in just four years.\u201d\n\nThese CPF funds would allow Honolulu to develop a complete inventory of its tree assets, which is essential for determining the number of publicly owned trees, planning for new trees and tracking their maintenance needs. Analyzing a complete inventory against social vulnerability and other demographic and environmental data can identify potential disparities in city tree assets across communities and work towards equitable distribution of resources.\n\n\u201cCPF requests are submitted by individual Members and are for specific projects and purposes in our respective districts,\u201d explained Case. \u201cCPF requests are only for state and local governments or non-profits organizations. These projects must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed, and they are subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office.\u201d Case\u2019s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/media/funding-disclosures.htm.\n\n\u201cThe Committee\u2019s Interior bills further makes critical investments in environmental protection and land conservation, clean air and water to protect our communities\u2019 health, earthquake and volcano warning systems,\u201d said Case. \u201cThere is also funding to protect our public lands and endangered species, support our Native Hawaiian communities, assist with climate change mitigation, and help our state government with the costs of programs benefiting our Compacts of Free Association residents.\u201d\n\nPrograms and provisions requested and secured by Case in the Interior bill include:\n\n\u00b7 $452 million for National Park Service land acquisitions and State Assistance Grants, which includes $6.125 million for Haleakal\u0101 National Park.\n\n\u00b7 Language instructing the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations to expand the federal governments Native Hawaiian community consultation efforts.\n\n\u00b7 $4 million for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s State of the Birds. These funds support efforts to recover our most endangered Hawaiian forest bird species.\n\n\u00b7 $33.5 million, a $3.3 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\u2018i, assesses their hazards, issues warnings and advances scientific understanding to reduce impacts of volcanic eruptions.\n\n\u00b7 $1.8 million for the National Park Service American Indian and Native Hawaiian Art and Culture Grants program.\n\n\u00b7 $57.7 million for State Historic Preservation Offices.\n\nThe measure also includes:\n\n\u00b7 $1.1 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which provides funding to Hawaii\u2019s regulated water systems for the construction of drinking water infrastructure projects,\n\n\u00b7 $44.0 million for the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, and\n\n\u00b7 $16.9 million for the National Trails System, which will benefit the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail.\n\nCase said, \u201cThe critical work of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory cannot be overstated given the destructive impacts of both lava flows and the emission of sulfur dioxide in the wake of eruptions as recently as last December,\u201d said Case.\n\nAgriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies\n\n\u201cAs we continue to emerge from the devastating impact of COVID-19, we must work to strengthen Hawaii\u2019s agricultural sector, which has been a major driver of our local economy,\u201d said Case.\n\nCase recently testified personally before the House Agriculture Committee, on which he previously served, on the often unique challenges facing Hawai\u2019i agriculture. Here is his testimony:\n\n(https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=568). Many of the items he highlighted in his testimony were included in the Appropriations Committee\u2019s Agriculture bill.\n\n\u201cI talked story most recently with our farmers at the Farmers Market in Mililani. That reinforced especially what a critical lifeline small farms and these markets have played in helping to feed families during the pandemic,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cRural development is also critical, and most important here is ensuring broadband connectivity which, as we\u2019ve also seen in COVID-19, is essential to effective tele-health, remote learning and working from home, especially for those students who were unable to attend schools shut down during the height of COVID-19.\u201d\n\nPrograms and provisions requested and secured by Case in the Agriculture bill include:\n\n\u00b7 $33.9 million for the Agricultural Quarantine Inspections of invasive species in Hawai\u2018i.\n\n\u00b7 $10 million for the Micro-Grants for Food Security program, which has provided direct farming to Hawai\u2018i\u2019s subsistence and small commercial farmers.\n\n\u00b7 $3.5 million for Education Grants for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions, the first increase for this vital program in years.\n\n\u00b7 $4.5 million for coffee research to address the threats of Coffee Leaf Rust and Coffee Berry Borer on our iconic coffee industry.\n\n\u00b7 $7.4 million for Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program, which helps address food insecurity with fresh produce and supports local farms.\n\n\u00b7 $1.2 million for research for the macadamia felted coccid.\n\nThe measure also:\n\n\u00b7 Directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update its Biosecurity Plan for Invasive Ants in the Pacific to help Hawai\u2018i deal with Little Red Fire Ant and other invasive ant species.\n\n\u00b7 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.\n\n\u00b7 Emphasizes the importance tropical and subtropical crop research, given the threats posed by climate change and invasive species and diseases.\n\n\u00b7 Urges the U.S. Department of Agriculture to responsibly and efficiently take action to increase access to broadband on entities related to Hawaiian homelands.\n\nCase\u2019s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating some $1.5 trillion in funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis through twelve separate bills.\n\nThe Agriculture and Interior funding bills now move onto the full House of Representatives for consideration.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=595", "First Fiscal Year 2022 Federal Funding Measure Approved by Case's Appropriations Committee Targets Nation's Small Businesses", "2021-07-01", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=25", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced approval by his House Committee on Appropriations of the first of twelve measures to fund the federal government in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 (beginning October 1, 2021).\n\nThe FY 2022 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill funds various government programs to assist the country continue its path to recovery through support for small and minority businesses.\n\nIt is also the first federal funding bill since 2011 which includes specific Member of Congress requests to fund specific deserving projects in Members\u2019 districts.\n\n\u201cCOVID-19 created an economic crisis with profound impacts on Hawaii\u2019s small businesses, which are the lifeblood of our state,\u201d said Case, a member since 2019 of the Appropriations Committee, with jurisdiction over some $1.5 trillion in annual federal spending. \u201cMy Committee is further investing in the federal programs and partners that are critical to the continued survival of small businesses nationwide and here in our Hawai\u2018i.\u201d\n\nThe bill includes Case\u2019s request, under Member-designated Community Project Funding (CPF), of $500,000 for the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture (INPEACE) Small Business Incubator Project at Leeward Community College.\n\n\u201cINPEACE\u2019s Leeward Community Small Business Incubator Project will provide critical assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs directly in their community so they do not have to transit across the island to obtain key services. With support from the Committee, INPEACE can expand its current business development program capacity, which primarily services Native Hawaiian and veteran communities, to meet the growing needs of our Leeward community.\n\n\u201cCPF requests are submitted by individual Members and are for specific projects and purposes in our respective districts,\u201d explained Case. \u201cCPF requests are only for state and local governments or non-profits organizations. These projects must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed, and they are subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office.\u201d Case\u2019s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/media/funding-disclosures.htm.\n\nTo help our small businesses nationwide, the bill provides $1 billion for the Small Business Administration (SBA), an increase of $111.9 million above the current year\u2019s funding level. This includes an increase of $51.8 million for Entrepreneurial Development Programs that provide small businesses with quality training, counseling and access to resources. The bill also provided $330 million for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), an increase of $60 million above the current funding 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.\n\nThe Appropriations Committee also approved several Case requests for funding for federal programs and services important for the State of Hawai\u2019i, including:\n\n\u00b7 An average 2.7% pay raise for federal employees, matching the request from the Biden administration;\n\n\u00b7 $21.5 million for the Native American Community Development Financial Institution Assistance Program;\n\n\u00b7 $3 million for the Native American Outreach Program;\n\n\u00b7 $3 million for the Historically Underutilized Business Zones Program;\n\n\u00b7 $26 million for the Women\u2019s Business Centers Program;\n\n\u00b7 $25 million for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative;\n\n\u00b7 $140 million for Small Business Development Centers;\n\n\u00b7 $110 million for the Drug-Free Communities Program;\n\n\u00b7 $20 million for the State Trade Expansion Program;\n\n\u00b7 $7 million for the Regional Innovate Clusters Program;\n\n\u00b7 $300 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program; and\n\n\u00b7 $41 million for the Microloan Technical Assistance Program.\n\nThe measure includes the following further Case requests:\n\n\u00b7 Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to investigate the importation and shipment of illegal aerial fireworks and develop recommendations for stopping it,\n\n\u00b7 Extends Hawaii\u2019s long-standing fourth temporary judgeship,\n\n\u00b7 Requests the United States Postal Service to coordinate with the United States Department of Agriculture to better combat endangered species trafficking and in combating the spread of invasive species,\n\n\u00b7 Demands the Federal Trade Commission investigate the inequalities in interstate commerce in Hawai\u2018i compared to the mainland,\n\n\u00b7 Directs the National Personnel Records Center to quickly address its unacceptable backlog of veterans\u2019 requests for records that they need to receive the benefits they deserve, and\n\n\u00b7 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.\n\nCase\u2019s Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating funding to federal government agencies, departments and organizations on an annual basis through twelve separate bills.\n\nThe Committee\u2019s FY 2022 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill passed on Tuesday funds the U.S. Treasury, federal courts and various independent agencies including the SBA, Federal Communications Commission and the Office of Personnel Management. The discretionary funding level is $29.1 billion, an increase of $4.8 billion over the 2021 enacted level.\n\nThe bill now moves on to the full House of Representatives for consideration.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=596", "Case Announces U.S. House Passage of $715 Billion Surface and Water Infrastructure Measure", "2021-07-01", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced full House passage today of the INVEST in America Act, calling for a $715 billion five-year federal government investment in our nation\u2019s surface transportation and water infrastructure.\n\n\u201cOur country has simply not kept up with the investments in our country\u2019s roads, bridges, transit and water systems that are essential to our national welfare,\u201d said Case, a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.\n\n\u201cThe INVEST in America Act is not just about critical re-investment in our infrastructure, and not just to generate much-needed jobs as our country continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also about addressing the urgencies of our times like climate change and creating efficiencies and enhancements in our economy which will enable us to maintain our position as the leader in global commerce.\u201d\n\n\u201cI fully expect that this huge re-investment in our nation\u2019s infrastructure will provide huge opportunities for our own Hawai\u2019i to upgrade and modernize our own transportation and water infrastructure which is literally crumbling in too many places.\u201d\n\nThis year the House allowed for Member Designated Project (MDP) requests by individual Members for specific projects and purposes in their district\u2019s communities. For this particular measure, these requests may only be directed to government transportation agencies. They must have demonstrated local support, and they are subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office. Finally, all Members must publicly disclose their requests and sign required ethics certifications. Here are Case\u2019s disclosures: https://case.house.gov/media/funding-disclosures.htm.\n\nCase sought $20 million in four MDP requests, and all four were included in the INVEST in America Act. They are:\n\n\u00b7 $3,699,200 - Bus and Handi-Van Acquisition Program (Battery Electric Buses; Electrification of RT 40 from Ala Moana to Makaha)\n\n\u00b7 $4,000,000 - Hawai\u2018i Recreational Trails Program (Hawai\u2018i Integrated Trail System)\n\n\u00b7 $6,150,000 - Interstate Route H-1 Improvements (Eastbound, Ola Lane Overpass to Vineyard Blvd)\n\n\u00b7 $6,150,000 - Leeward Bikeway (Ewa to Waipahu)\n\n\u201cWhile the improvements to the H-1 overpass and the Bus and Handi-van projects assist with county and state transportation needs, the investments in the recreational trails and Leeward Bikeway are also projects that will assist residents\u2019 quality of life and help diversify attractions for our visitors,\u201d said Case.\n\nOther provisions in the bill Case identified of special interest to Hawai\u2018i include:\n\n\u00b7 $4 billion in electric vehicle charging infrastructure\n\n\u00b7 $8.3 billion for activities targeted to reduce carbon pollution\n\n\u00b7 $6.2 billion for climate change mitigation and resiliency improvements\n\n\u00b7 Assistance to low-income Americans with their water bills by creating two permanent assistance programs and authorizing them at $8 billion.\n\n\u00b7 $4 billion to reduce or eliminate water bill debt incurred since March 2020.\n\n\u00b7 $2.5 billion for state water pollution control programs.\n\n\u00b7 A new clean water grant program to invest in communities with failing septic systems.\n\nThe measure now goes to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=577", "Case and Kahele Announce $1.18 Million In Federal Grant Awards To 12 Native Hawaiian Organizations", "2021-06-10", "2021", "2021-06", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) and U.S. Congressman Kaiali\u02bbi Kahele (HI-02) today announced that 12 Native Hawaiian programs based In Hawai\u2019i have been awarded grants totaling $1,181,486 to help preserve the indigenous history, heritage and culture of Hawai\u02bbi.\n\nThe grants are administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (Institute), an independent federal agency, through its Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services program. The Institute\u2019s mission is to advance, support, and empower America\u2019s museums, libraries, and related organizations. The Institute is the primary source of federal support for the country\u2019s libraries and museums.\n\n\u201cThe awardees include the Hawai\u02bbi state government, \u02bbIolani Palace, our country\u2019s only royal palace, Kawaiaha\u2018o Church and other organizations whose programs seek to preserve our island heritage through exhibitions, educational services and programming, professional development and the stewardship of invaluable and often endangered collections,\u201d said Case, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and its Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples of the United States to include Native Hawaiians. \u201cThese grants match and forward my own efforts, through my House Appropriations Committee and otherwise, to apply advanced digitization and other technologies to the preservation of records of our indigenous people.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf our history is forgotten, Native Hawaiian culture will cease to exist,\u201d said Kahele. \u201cSecuring these grants to preserve and celebrate indigenous heritage is critical to the identity of native communities across the nation. I look forward to seeing these funds directly benefit our cultural museums and programs to further the knowledge of our keiki for generations to come.\u201d\n\nCase and Kahele also noted that the 12 Hawai\u2019i grant recipients were among just 26 awardees nationwide. The Hawai\u02bbi awards represent over 50% of the $2.2 million total grants awarded this year by the Institute.\n\nThe 12 awardees and their awards include:\n\nProgram: Native American / Native Hawaiian Museum Services\n\nInstitution: Hawai\u2018i Department of Accounting and General Services\n\nAward Amount: $100,000\n\nProject Title: He Maka Kahiko | A View to the Past: Increasing Transparency and Discoverability of Hawai\u2018i's Visual Records\n\nProject Description: The Hawai\u2018i State Archives will improve the preservation and accessibility of its collection of negatives documenting the history, heritage, and culture of Native Hawaiians. The project team will digitize over 22,000 fragile and deteriorating 19th and early 20th century negatives, many of which have been pulled from public access due to damage and signs of severe deterioration. The digital images will live in a freely accessible, centralized, bi-lingual (\u2018\u014dlelo Hawai\u2018i\u2013Hawaiian Language\u2013and English), searchable online public access database. Two Hawaiian language graduate student interns will assist with digitization work and transcribing descriptive metadata.\n\nInstitution: \u02bbAha Kane Foundation for the Advancement of Native Hawaiian Males\n\nAward Amount: $100,000\n\nProject Title: Ka\u2018imina\u2018auaoka\u2018eo Archive and Database Project\n\nProject Description: Aha K\u0101ne will work with a consultant and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to create a publicly accessible resource documenting three decades of repatriation work. N\u0101 Mea Hawai\u2018i (Hawaiian ancestral remains, funerary possessions, and cultural items) are scattered throughout the globe but many documents, pictures, databases, emails, letters and other research relating to items that have been returned are stored in boxes in rural Hilo. A consulting project director, repatriation specialist, and document technician will coordinate project activities, including the creation of a searchable digital archive and two new databases reflecting past and ongoing efforts to identify N\u0101 Mea Hawai\u2018i held nationally and internationally. The transformation of these materials into a digital repository will increase an understanding of healing from trauma, improving the well-being of Hawaiian families while sharing Native Hawaiian worldviews and cultural practices with others.\n\nInstitution: Bishop Museum\n\nAward Amount: $100,000\n\nProject Title: Ka Makaiwa: Strengthening Digital Access for Native Hawaiian Futures\n\nProject Description: The Ka Makaiwa: Strengthening Digital Access for Native Hawaiian Futures project will develop an approach to producing online exhibits and related programming for the Bishop Museum. The project will address barriers to physical access to collections expected to continue beyond the pandemic by expanding access to information by developing a high-quality, thoughtfully designed, and user-friendly online exhibit platform. The museum will capture photographs, video footage, and other content from the (Re)Generations: Challenging Scientific Racism in Hawai\u2018i exhibition, which explores racism and bias in scientific research while celebrating Native Hawaiian voices and collaborative endeavors. The project team will test a beta version internally and conduct a thorough internal review before launching the online exhibit publicly.\n\nInstitution: Friends of Iolani Palace, Inc\n\nAward Amount: $85,218\n\nProject Title: Iolani Palace's Gallery Voices\n\nProject Description: Iolani Palace will launch the next stage of exhibit development as part of a comprehensive overhaul of the museum's visitor experience. Based on completed interpretive and exhibit design plans, the new exhibit area will focus on ten themes for over 100,000 visitors per year, with an emphasis on multigenerational family groups and school classes.\n\nThe museum will assemble a team of experts, knowledge-bearers, teachers, and other museum professionals to build the voice, text, and content for the exhibit panels and labels, which will reflect Hawaiian history, culture, and contemporary issues.\n\nThe project team will also engage with local residents, college faculty and students, military service members and their families, and others to ensure that the process opens as many doors as possible to serving the Hawaiian community as well as building better understanding of Hawaiian culture for visitors.\n\nInstitution: Institute For Native Pacific Education and Culture\n\nAward Amount: $99,842\n\nProject Title: Indigenous Science Center - Mahina Exhibit\n\nProject Description: The Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture will address low science and math proficiency achievement rates for Native Hawaiian students by designing more relevant STEM learning activities. The INPEACE Indigenous Science Center's Mahina Exhibit Project will create three exhibit designs with learning objectives targeted for students ages 4-14. Focused on the Mahina (moon), the exhibits and related activities will be designed to be enjoyable and thought-provoking for Native Hawaiian communities to engage in STEM learning through a framework that is familiar.\n\nThrough consultation with experienced exhibit designers, the science center's staff will gain a stronger understanding of best practices in exhibit design, and indigenous communities will benefit from approaches that translate their own histories into relevant and fun STEM learning experiences.\n\nInstitution: Kawaiaha\u2018o Church\n\nAward Amount: $98,288\n\nProject Title: Na Makamae o Kawaiaha\u2018o\n\nProject Description: Kawaiaha\u2018o Church Historical Site and Archives Library (KHSA), housed in the first Christian church built on O\u2018ahu, will improve the preservation and management of its collections through a digitization project that will also provide public access via the Internet and social media platforms. Collections to be digitized, cataloged, and transcribed include church administration and sacramental records; land, buildings, and grounds records; and audio tapes, music, and photographs. Documents such as baptism, marriage, death, and funeral records will provide genealogical data for Hawai\u2018i residents. A project coordinator and digital archive specialist will coordinate the project in addition to creating a series of videos for community members to provide instruction on the use of the digital collections to conduct research on family history.\n\nInstitution: Hawai\u2018i Department of Land and Natural Resources\n\nAward Amount: $98,230\n\nProject Title: Expanding Public Access to Kaho\u2018olawe through Live-Stream Video and Virtual Reality\n\nProject Description: With a mission to restore, preserve, and provide safe, meaningful access to the Kaho\u2018olawe Island Reserve, the Kaho\u2018olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) will implement new ways for the public to access the historical, cultural, and natural resources of the site. Due to limitations on physical access related to funding constraints and COVID-19, KIRC will develop digital tools to provide the greater community with access to the Reserve through virtual means.\n\nThe project will focus on three deliverables: sharing livestreaming video from Kaho\u2018olawe on the KIRC website; sharing 360-degree video updates of monthly volunteer access activities; and developing a pilot Kaho\u2018olawe virtual reality Huaka\u2018i, or expedition. The project will support the KIRC in serving as a model for other natural museum spaces that hope to maintain or expand public access beyond a physical means to local and worldwide audiences.\n\nInstitution: P\u0101paku No K\u0101meha\u2018ikana\n\nAward Amount: $99,965\n\nProject Title: Kuleana: I Ulu No Ka Lala I Ke Kumu\n\nProject Description: Papaku No Kameha'ikana will document the history and lineage of hula-the traditional dance of Native Hawaiian people. Originally intended to be passed from master teacher to student, hula has been popularized around the world, resulting in forms that no longer resemble the traditions handed down from generation to generation. The project will produce 24 webinars posted online and 12 workshops targeting 200 persons. The project team will produce a book on hula legacy and will conduct interviews with descendants of master teachers.\n\nEight students will participate in collections management, cataloging and application design as they assist with the interviews and their transcription. The long-term goal of the project is to ensure the transmission of the legacy of hula, which is not only the traditional Hawaiian dance but also the foundation of oral history, ceremony, spirituality, healing, and wellness.\n\nInstitution: Pu\u2018uhonua Society\n\nAward Amount: $100,000\n\nProject Title: \u2018Ai P\u014dhaku: Increasing Access to Native Hawaiian Contemporary Art\n\nProject Description: Pu\u2018uhonua Society will collaborate with the University of Hawai\u2018i to implement a project to create broader access to the work of Native Hawaiian artists.\n\nThe \u2018Ai P\u014dhaku project will disperse artist exhibitions across three campuses and five venues within the University of Hawai\u2018i System, including The John Young Museum of Art, the Art Gallery, and the Commons Gallery at UH M\u0101noa and at Gallery \u2018Iolani at Windward Community College and Koa Gallery at Kapi\u2018olani Community College. The series of exhibits will be accompanied by public programming and a comprehensive publication with archival images, historical and newly commissioned essays, artist and artwork information and installation images. The project will serve over 27,000 students, including approximately 5,400 Hawaiian students and will also bring over a thousand other visitors to the campuses.\n\nInstitution: K\u0101huli Leo Le\u02bba\n\nAward Amount: $100,000\n\nProject Title: The Mele: Sonic Knowledge Project\n\nProject Description: The Mele: Sonic Knowledge project will document the unique practices of the Haku Mele-the Hawaiian cultural practice of knowledge proliferation through song. By engaging a cohort of master Haku Mele and cultural experts, this project will provide new compositions of mele to be captured in educational resources in the form of audio recordings, video interviews of composers, and written curriculum on each composition to fully explain this traditional practice.\n\nThe project team will engage the support of an audio engineer and videographer to guide the development of the project resources, which will be made freely available online.\n\nInstitution: Papahana Kuaola\n\nAward Amount: $99,943\n\nProject Title: \u2018ILI\u2018ILIKAUHALE\n\nProject Description: Papahana Kuaola will strengthen the connection between kanaka (people) and aina (land, that which feeds us) by developing and presenting community-based education programs focusing on the knowledge, use, and growth of Hawaiian food and medicinal plants. The project team will develop and implement nine sequential learning sessions, reaching 600 participants either in-person or online.\n\nProject activities will focus around the 63 acres of conservation land that Papahana Kuaola stewards and the identified native plants that flourish on the property. With the guidance of cultural practitioners and native plant specialists, staff will generate on-line curriculum and hands-on workshops to bring these perspectives to the community. Participants will learn skills that can be utilized in everyday life while deepening their understanding and appreciation of Hawaiian culture.\n\nInstitution: Hi\u02bbipaka LLC\n\nAward Amount: $100,000\n\nProject Description: Hi\u2018ipaka, LLC will enhance its efforts to sustain Hawaiian heritage, culture, and community knowledge by building the capacity of staff to adopt best practices and innovations to better care for and interpret the collections of Waimea Valley. A consulting conservator will complete a general conservation survey of the collections, which include Hawaiian cultural sites, Native Hawaiian plant collections, and Native Hawaiian cultural artifacts.\n\nThe project includes funds to purchase necessary supplies and equipment to support staff work under the guidance of the conservator to assess, catalog, rehouse collections, and improve ongoing collections management practices.\n\nThe longer-term project goal is to improve the wellbeing of the surrounding community by serving as a trusted space for community dialogue and the care and interpretation of Hawaiian culture.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:57:00Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=575", "University of Hawaii To Receive $210 Million For Federal Cooperative Institute For Oceanic And Atmospheric Research", "2021-06-01", "2021", "2021-06", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded the University of Hawai\u2018i $210 million to create and fund a new Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (CIMAR).\n\nAccording to NOAA, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce charged with understanding and protecting our natural world: \u201cThe mission of the Institute is to conduct research and disseminate knowledge necessary for understanding and predicting environmental change in the Indo-Pacific region, for conserving and managing coastal and marine resources in the Hawaiian Islands and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands, and for meeting the country\u2019s economic, social and environmental needs in the region.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Science and Justice with jurisdiction over NOAA, I welcome this award, which recognizes and builds on Hawaii\u2019s strengths, from our premier scientists to our NOAA research ships and Mauna Loa Observatory and more,\u201d said Case. \u201cCIMAR will only amplify our world-class position in all things relating to our oceans and our atmosphere at such a critical time for our world.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe award also further highlight the role the University of Hawai\u2018i plays in our local economy, as summarized in the recent report by the University of Hawai\u2018i Economic Research Organization. That report showed that the 10-campus university system had a $3.6 billion impact on the state\u2019s economy in 2020.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe University of Hawai\u2018i has been a magnet in drawing millions in federal dollars to the state, while also generating high-paying jobs and critical research and building the workforce necessary to diversify our economy.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:57:00Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=574", "Case, Womack, Hirono Introduce Legislation to Restore Access Federal Benefits for COFA Citizens Legally Present in the United States", "2021-05-28", "2021", "2021-05", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "Representative Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Representative Steve Womack (R-Ark.) and Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to restore access to a range of federal benefits for citizens of the Freely Associated States of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau who reside in the United States.\n\nUnder the Compacts of Free Association (COFA), national security agreements critical to safeguarding American interests in the Indo-Pacific region, citizens of the Freely Associated States are entitled to live, study, and work in the United States without a visa and access certain public benefits. However, the 1996 welfare reform law prevented COFA citizens from accessing most federal benefits available to other legal resident non-citizens present in the United States. If enacted, this legislation would restore access to these benefits for COFA citizens and assist states that have traditionally stepped in to provide assistance to the COFA community in the absence of federal aid.\n\n\u201cIt is fundamentally unfair for our federal government to ignore its obligations under the Compacts of Free Association that are national in interest and scope and then impose the responsibility for providing basic services to FAS citizens on state and territorial governments,\u201d Congressman Case said. \u201cOur legislation would address this by requiring the federal government to extend to FAS citizens the same basic federal benefits provided to other legal permanent residents and thus pay for basic services that the states and territories are now forced to provide themselves.\u201d Case continued: \u201cThere is also no reason that federal law should distinguish between FAS citizens and other legal resident non-citizens in eligibility for these key social safety net federal programs. FAS citizens are important members of our communities that contribute to our economies and deserve the same support from our federal government. The Compact Impact Fairness Act, which I first introduced last Congress, would correct this omission in the 1996 welfare reform law and ensure FAS citizens legally working and residing in the United States are treated basically the same as any other legal resident non-citizen for these purposes.\u201d\n\n\u201cMarshallese families are an integral part of Arkansas. Across the nation, COFA citizens support U.S. defense efforts, pay taxes, and are core elements of our economy and communities. It has long been a priority of mine to address the host of unintended barriers these lawful residents face under the law,\u201d Congressman Womack said. \u201cThis legislation is important to that mission. By instituting another technical fix, we are restoring access to the care and services they are entitled to and upholding our commitments to critical security partners.\u201d\n\n\u201cCOFA citizens have been important, contributing members of our communities for decades, and have served on the front lines of our nation\u2019s armed services and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While they pay federal taxes, COFA citizens do not currently have the same access to federal benefits and assistance as other legal residents of the United States,\u201d Senator Hirono said. \u201cThis important legislation builds off the success of restoring Medicaid eligibility for COFA citizens last year, upholds the promises we made to our critical national security partners in the Freely Associated States, and assists states like Hawaii that have traditionally worked without a fully-invested federal partner in supporting this community. I am encouraged this legislation enjoys bipartisan support, and I will continue working with my colleagues in both parties to build support to pass it.\u201d\n\nA 2020 report from the Government Accountability Office estimated that approximately 100,000 COFA citizens live in the United States and its Pacific Territories. COFA citizens disproportionately reside in Hawaii, Guam, Washington, Arkansas, Oregon, and California, but also have a sizable presence in Texas, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Arizona, Missouri, Georgia, Colorado, and Iowa.\n\nThe Compact Impact Fairness Act would restore eligibility for COFA citizens to receive public benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Services Block Grants (SSBG), education assistance, and other programs that they were restricted from accessing as part of the 1996 welfare reform law. Last year, Congress restored Medicaid eligibility for COFA citizens as part of its year-end spending and interim COVID relief measure.\n\nThe National Immigration Law Center (NILC), Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), We Are Oceania (WAO) have endorsed the Compact Impact Fairness Act.\n\n\u201cAAPCHO applauds Senator Hirono, Congressman Case, and Congressman Womack for introducing the Compact Impact Fairness Act. This important bill builds on last year's Congressional action that restored COFA citizens' eligibility for Medicaid and allows COFA citizens to access all federal assistance programs,\u201d Adam Carbullido, director of policy and advocacy at the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), said. \u201cCOFA citizens have been unjustly locked out of many federal programs for far too long, which has led to their social determinants of health being undermined and has contributed to their disparate health and mental health challenges. One example of the cruelty of this exclusion is COFA citizens' inability to obtain federal funeral assistance to bury loved ones who died from COVID-19. AAPCHO, our members, and our partners call on Congress to pass this bill and ensure these Pacific Islander communities can fairly and justly access all federal assistance programs.\u201d\n\n\u201cWAO is in full support of the Compact Impact Fairness Act. Senator Mazie Hirono and Congressman Ed Case\u2019s continuing fight for the migrants of the COFA nations in Hawai'i is not only uplifting our Micronesian community in Hawaii but across the nation as well,\u201d Josie Howard, CEO at We are Oceania, said. \u201cThis bill comes at the prefect time! Our community suffered greatly by the pandemic. In Hawaii, we Micronesians lost many love ones due to COVID, yet we are not eligible to apply for the FEMA funeral reimbursement relief because we're citizens of the COFA nations. Bills like the CIFA bring us hope and great sense of gratitude and deep appreciation for Senator Mazie Hirono and Congressman Ed Case. I pray that the bill will be well received and supported by other Members of Congress from states with great Freely Associated States (FAS) populations, such as Arkansas, Texas, Oregon, Washington, Iowa, Arizona, Missouri, etc.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:49:40Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=571", "U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.7 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Support Regional Economic Growth in Hawaii", "2021-05-20", "2021", "2021-05", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that the Department\u2019s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.7 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, to strengthen, expand, and scale its work supporting entrepreneurship and job creation. This EDA grant will be matched with $813,068 in local funds.\n\n\u201cSupporting our nation\u2019s job-creating innovators and entrepreneurs is a major focus for the Biden Administration,\u201d said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. \u201cThis EDA investment in the University of Hawaii will support collaboration between academia and business to advance entrepreneurial and workforce development efforts, creating opportunities that positively impact Hawaii\u2019s economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Economic Development Administration is working to support communities across the nation as they develop strategies to mitigate economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,\u201d said Dennis Alvord, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. \u201cThis grant will allow the University of Hawaii to strengthen and expand its Innovation Impact Challenge by implementing a strategic commercialization and workforce development pipeline based on Hawaii innovations, and by developing programs that support small business and provide training for well-paying, quality jobs.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis EDA grant recognizes the importance of the University of Hawaii's efforts to diversify the local economy through its growing slate of innovation, entrepreneurship and workforce development programs,\u201d said Governor David Ige. \u201cWe\u2019re grateful for the EDA\u2019s continued partnership in reviving the state\u2019s economy and strengthening our communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cThrough the UH\u2019s Innovation Impact Challenge program, UH professors help develop a local workforce driving cutting-edge solutions to Hawaii\u2019s most pressing challenges,\u201d said Senator Brian Schatz. \u201cThis EDA grant will increase UH\u2019s capacity for that work, to help Hawaii recover from the COVID-19 crisis and build a stronger economy for the future.\u201d\n\n\u201cLast year Congress passed the CARES Act to help businesses, workers, and local communities respond to and recover from the coronavirus pandemic,\u201d said Senator Mazie Hirono. \u201cWith this investment from EDA, the University of Hawaii can continue the important work of helping local communities recover by promoting job creation and entrepreneurship in the state, and providing new opportunities for businesses and workers.\u201d \u201cAs my Hawai\u02bbi recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are especially focused on our elusive goal of diversifying an economy historically overly-reliant on tourism,\u201d said Congressman Ed Case (HI-01). \u201cI heard that increased focus recently as the host of a virtual workshop on federal grants which attracted more than 200 people. This particular EDA grant will go to boost efforts to strengthen our technology sector and encourage innovation that is crucial to our long-term economic development and resilience.\u201d\n\nThis project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau\u2019s flexibleEconomic Adjustment Assistance(EAA) program, provides a wide range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.\n\nAbout the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)\n\nThe U.S. Economic Development Administration\u2019s (EDA) mission is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation\u2019s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:49:40Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=564", "U.S. House Again Passes Case Initiative Toward First National Forest For Hawai\u2018i", "2021-05-12", "2021", "2021-05", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced today that the U.S. House has once again passed his National Forest study measure that calls on the United States Forest Service (USFS) to engage communities in the State of Hawai\u2019i in a study to identify suitable parcels to be incorporated into a National Forest.\n\nThe measure now goes to the Senate for its consideration. Case obtained passage of a similar measure in late 2020 but the Senate did not act before expiration of the prior 116th Congress.\n\n\u201cMy measure would direct the necessary first step in the establishment of a National Forest in Hawai\u2019i,\u201d said Case, a member of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee and of its Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, in remarks to the full House on passage.\n\n\u201cDespite having some of the most unique and endangered forest lands in the country, Hawai\u2018i is one of the only a handful of states nationwide without a National Forest. Establishing a National Forest in Hawai\u2018i would support tropical forest conservation and research throughout the Hawaiian Islands, and provide appropriate recreational, cultural and commercial opportunities in Hawai\u2018i.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe study authorized by the bill would take steps to correct this oversight. It would consider how a Hawai\u2018i National Forest could contribute to the conservation of this biodiversity not found elsewhere in the National Forest System, while supporting the research mission of the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.\u201d\n\nCongressman Kaiali\u02bbi Kahele (HI-02), who co-introduced the legislation, said: \u201cThe establishment of the Hawai\u02bbi National Forest Study is the first step to creating a National Forest System in Hawai\u02bbi. This legislation would help ensure the preservation of our State\u2019s natural beauty and resources for generations to come. I thank Congressman Case for his work on the House Natural Resources Committee and look forward to our continued collaboration to protect Hawai\u02bbi\u2019s land and natural resources.\u201d\n\nIn his further floor remarks, Case added: \u201cHawai\u2018i is the most isolated island chain and one of the most ecologically diverse places in the world. Within these constrained borders, it has ten of the thirteen world climate zones, ecosystems ranging from the deserts to the tropics where plants and animals that found their way to Hawai\u2018i evolved like nowhere else.\u201d\n\n\u201cA 2014 survey identified 9,975 endemic species in Hawai\u2018i, many of which are reliant on Hawaii\u2019s fragile ecosystem to survive. However, since the onset of human arrival, Hawai\u2018i has lost almost half of its native forest cover and countless fauna and flora species.\n\nCase said an inventory would help inventory where Hawai\u2018i\u2019s native koa, \u2018\u014dhi\u2018a and sandalwood forests can be conserved and expanded for cultural and commercial practices.\n\nThe bill would help identify where cultural sites could be better conserved and access expanded to the public and practitioners, and it would provide the basis to bring together local stakeholders to advance the conversation of how to responsibly establish a National Forest in Hawai\u2018i in a manner that will benefit both Hawai\u2018i\u2019s island communities and the National Forest Service.\n\n\u201cAs we continue to identify solutions to our climate and biodiversity crises, I hope we can all see the value in taking this step towards protecting Hawai\u2018i\u2019s unique forest resources and its native species, along with providing important recreational, cultural and commercial opportunities in Hawai\u2018i,\u201d said Case.\n\nThe National Forest System currently comprises 154 national forests, 20 national grasslands and several other federal land designations containing 193 million acres. Its core mission is to conserve land for a variety of uses to include watershed management, research, cultural site preservation, wildlife habitat management and research and outdoor recreation.\n\nLast year, Case and the Hawai\u2018i Department of Land and Natural Resources\u2019 First Deputy, Robert Masuda, testified in favor of the measure at a Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands legislative hearing.\n\n\u201cThe citizens of Hawai\u2018i share a passion for the lands and resources that have sustained our islands for generations,\u201d said Masuda then. \u201cIt\u2019s ingrained into our culture and outlook. Like other island peoples around the world, we understand that we live with finite resources on a limited land base. Living on isolated islands, we are particularly sensitive to the threats posed by pollution, climate change, and invasive species. We know that the conservation of our terrestrial and marine resources is necessary for the quality of life we now enjoy, and for future generations.\n\nMasuda continued: \u201cWe believe Hawaii\u2019s existing Forest Reserves, watershed and endangered species protection programs would align well with a National Forest in Hawaii.\u201d\n\nNOTE: The measure can be found here\n\nNOTE: Congressman Case on C-SPAN speaking on the measure is here https://youtu.be/jWnqzCtCxBs\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:49:40Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=563", "Case Announces More than $97 Million to Hawai\u2018i Schools of Higher Education", "2021-05-11", "2021", "2021-05", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced the release of $97,587,634 million today from the U.S. Department of Education to several schools of higher education throughout the State of Hawai\u2018i.\n\nThe funding is part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, Congress\u2019 third major COVID-19 emergency assistance package enacted in March 2021. The Plan provided $36 billion for nearly 3,500 public and private, non-profit colleges and universities nationwide to help them cope with the severe fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to safely service their students.\n\n\u201cAt least half of the funding each school receives will be distributed in the form of emergency cash assistance grants to students who are facing hunger, homelessness and other hardship,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cWhile schools of higher education are struggling to balance their budgets while also continuing to meet the needs of their students, the funding provided to these institutions from the American Rescue Plan is an investment that will help secure the future of these schools and, at the same time, provide for struggling students with urgent relief that will help them stay on track and complete their education,\u201d said Case.\n\nThe colleges and universities receiving funding from the American Rescue Plan can be found here.\n\nThose in Hawai\u2018i\u2019s First Congressional District include:\n\n\u00b7 Chaminade University $4,623,260\n\n\u00b7 University of Hawai\u2018i \u2013 M\u0101noa $31,293,770\n\n\u00b7 Honolulu Community College $4,478,579\n\n\u00b7 Kapi\u2018olani Community College $7,638,010\n\n\u00b7 Leeward Community College $8,139,775\n\n\u00b7 UH West O\u2018ahu $5,188,409\n\n\u00b7 Pacific Rim Christian University $467,480\n\n\u00b7 Hawai\u2018i Pacific University $6,104,148\n\nNote: also receiving funding: Brigham Young University, University of Hawai\u2018i \u2013 Hilo, Kaua\u2018i Community College, University of Hawai\u2018i \u2013 Maui College, Windward Community College and Hawai\u2018i Community College in Hilo. These are schools in Hawai\u2018i\u2019s Second Congressional District.\n\nCase said students at these institutions should contact their administrators for more information about how they can apply for an emergency grant.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:49:40Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=560", "Case Joins Fellow Co-Chairs of Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus in Reintroducing Bipartisan Expanded Blue Pacific Act For Long-Term Coordinated United States Policy In The Pacific Islands Region", "2021-05-04", "2021", "2021-05", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (D-HI), Co-Chair and co-founder in the 116th Congress of the first-ever Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus, joined by Representatives and fellow Caucus Co-Chairs Don Young (R-AK), Ami Bera (D-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA), has reintroduced an expanded Boosting Long-term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific, or BLUE Pacific, Act.\n\nFirst introduced by Case and fellow colleagues last Congress, the BLUE Pacific Act would establish a comprehensive, long-term U.S. strategy across the Pacific Islands region that:\n\nExpands U.S. diplomatic and development presence in the Pacific Islands;\n\nIncreases U.S. security cooperation and assistance to address regional maritime security, transnational crime and law enforcement issues, including Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing;\n\nDeepens and diversifies bilateral and multilateral trade between the U.S. and the region and invests in trade capacity building programs for the region;\n\nSupports regional economic and social development in areas of public health, education, infrastructure, climate change resilience and adaptation, and more;\n\nBuilds on existing regional institutions and frameworks, including efforts of like-minded allies and partners of the United States;\n\nPromotes shared values like press freedom and gender equality; and\n\nStrengthens people-to-people relationships and civil society.\n\nThe new BLUE Pacific Act includes numerous improvements to reflect new developments, priorities and considerations. It also includes proposed authorizations of almost $1 billion total in U.S. assistance for the Pacific Islands region over the next five fiscal years.\n\nCase and fellow colleagues founded the bi-partisan Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus in 2019 to promote greater understanding of and engagement with the Pacific Islands both within Congress and throughout the country and region.\n\n\u201cOver the past decade, the Pacific Islands have boldly pursued regionalism and cooperation to address the most pressing challenges they face, including climate change, sustainable development, public health, maritime security and more, under the Blue Pacific identity and platform for collective action,\u201d stated Case. \u201cAs a Pacific nation, the United States can and must contribute to regional efforts to address these issues. In naming and reintroducing this bill, we pay tribute to the Blue Pacific vision pioneered by Pacific Islands leaders and reaffirm our commitment to the region once again.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe relationship between the United States and the Pacific Island nations is one of shared values and a commitment to diplomacy,\u201d stated Congressman Don Young, Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives. \u201cI have been a long-time advocate for the commercial and strategic importance of the Arctic, but I am also a strong supporter of ensuring that the Pacific Islands are safe, secure, and insulated against regional aggression -- particularly in the face of growing hostility from Russia and China. I am proud to help introduce the BLUE Pacific Act with my friend, Congressman Ed Case. Our bill will foster cooperation, statesmanship, and shared security between the United States and the Pacific Island nations. I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress and with our international partners to secure a safe and prosperous world.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe United States is a Pacific nation, and our security and welfare are inextricably tied to those of our friends and allies in the South Pacific,\u201d said Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. \u201cFor years, we have regrettably drifted away from this part of the world with which we share longstanding historical ties and which serves as an essential link between our nation and the Indo-Pacific. That\u2019s why I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of this important legislation that will strengthen U.S. commitment to the Pacific Islands region. I thank Rep. Ed Case for his leadership on these issues and look forward to working with him and our colleagues as we continue to strengthen relations between the United States and the Pacific Island countries.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a Co-Chair of the Pacific Islands Caucus, I am honored to join with my fellow Co-Chairs in reintroducing the BLUE Pacific Act,\u201d stated Congressman Brad Sherman. \u201cAt this critical juncture, this bill is an important step in demonstrating our commitment to our Pacific Island allies and partners. The Indo-Pacific region is key to both our economic and national security, and the islands of the Pacific are a key yet too-often-overlooked part of that region. I hope that Congress acts quickly to take up this important legislation.\u201d\n\nPresident David Panuelo of the Federated States of Micronesia\n\n\u201cThe Government of the Federated States of Micronesia is grateful for Congressman Case\u2019s leadership in re-introducing this significant legislation, the BLUE Pacific Act. We appreciate the Congressman\u2019s continued dedication to these important issues and his support of the people of Micronesia. We also appreciate Congress\u2019s continued focus on the Pacific region, as the Pacific Island countries remain vital partners to the U.S. and our mutual national security interests.\u201d\n\nAmbassador Hersey Kyota of the Republic of Palau, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps\n\n\u201cThe Blue Pacific Act is one of the most important legislation for the Pacific Islands and the region. It is very timely, especially now with the ever-increasing threat of climate change, the uncertainty of COVID-19 Pandemic, increasing tension and other challenges in the region.\u201d\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the President and the Government of the Republic of Palau, I would like to express my appreciation to the members of the Pacific Islands Caucus co-chairs, Representatives Ed Case, Ami Bera, Brad Sherman, and my friend and Palau\u2019s friend, Don Young.\n\n\u201cThe United States and Pacific Islands relation had always been strong and enduring since the end of the Second World War. If there are any doubts as to the United States\u2019 seriousness and close tie to the Pacific Islands, this legislation should remove them. Palau has always looked up to the United States for support, guidance and assistance, and we welcome the enactment of this bill into law. The legislation will help small islands, like Palau, not only to survive, but to thrive. We lack resources and expertise to tackle and resolve the challenges posed by climate change, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, transnational crime, drug and human trafficking and other challenges we face. The BLUE Pacific Act will assist us a great deal.\n\n\u201cThe BLUE Pacific Act gives Palau and the rest of the Pacific island nations hope for a safe, accessible and free Pacific. It is in line with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy.\u201d\n\nAmbassador Arthur Sinodinos AO of Australia\n\n\u201cAs a pre-eminent U.S. ally, Australia highly commends legislative efforts that boost American engagement in the Indo-Pacific. The challenges in this increasingly dynamic part of the world require cohesive, coordinated approaches by like-minded allies. We welcome the ongoing work of Congress to strengthen all the tools of government to promote an international rules-based order, including through diplomatic engagement, development projects and infrastructure investments, and enhancing resilience. Australia looks forward to continuing to work with the Pacific Islands Caucus and the rest of Congress to promote a secure, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.\u201d\n\nAmbassador Koji Tomita of Japan\n\n\u201cWe appreciate Congressman Case\u2019s leadership in introducing a bill that focuses on Pacific Island countries with whom both Japan and the United States share fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, respect for basic human rights and the rule of law. Japan will host the 9th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 9) with leaders of Pacific Island countries virtually in the week of June 28th and is determined to address challenges that we face such as COVID-19 and climate change with the Pacific Island countries, as well as with the U.S. and other regional partners.\u201d\n\nAmbassador Gerald M. Zackios of the Republic of the Marshall Islands\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Pacific Islands Caucus Co-Chairs for their leadership in re-introducing this important legislation \u2013 The BLUE Pacific Act, which would ensure that the United States take a more comprehensive and meaningful approach in its engagement with Pacific Islands nations. This bill touches upon important issues the region is facing today: the integrity of our ocean resources, the existential threat of climate change, coping with natural disasters, trade, critical infrastructure needs, health care, education, the Peace Corps, leadership development, maritime security law, law enforcement, and much more. It would tremendously benefit all of us in the Pacific islands and secure the United States as the region\u2019s premier partner.\u201d\n\nAmbassador Rosemary Banks of New Zealand\n\n\u201cPacific Islands countries face a complex and growing array of challenges, including climate change and economic vulnerability. Those challenges have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, from which the Pacific Islands face a long recovery. As one of the region\u2019s top development donors, New Zealand places significant value on the good cooperation we have with the United States. The BLUE Pacific Act would further enhance this cooperation and send an important signal about the United States\u2019 enduring commitment to the region. We commend the work of Representatives Ed Case, Ami Bera, Brad Sherman, and Don Young for introducing this critical legislation.\u201d\n\nMr. Cephas Kayo, charg\u00e9 d\u2019affaires, a.i. of Papua New Guinea\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the Government of Papua New Guinea, I welcome this significant and comprehensive initiative spearheaded by Congressmen Ed Case and his fellow members of the U.S. Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus, in setting forth the proposed U.S. BLUE Pacific Act. There is great potential and opportunity in the diverse and developing Pacific Island nations. The region however is vulnerable to issues relating to climate change, health challenges, regional security, combatting trans-national crime, including IUU fishing, among others. Papua New Guinea looks forward to actively engaging with the United States, as well as our Pacific Island neighbors, to advance the programs under the proposed U.S. BLUE Pacific Act.\u201d\n\nRepresentative Bi-khim Hsiao of Taiwan\n\n\u201cTaiwan applauds the Co-chairs of the Congressional Pacific Island Caucus for introducing the BLUE Pacific Act to strengthen America's engagement in the Pacific. For decades Taiwan has been an invaluable ally to Pacific Island nations such as the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau and Tuvalu. It is encouraging to see Congress taking a leadership role in highlighting the importance of this region. Taiwan is committed to working with the U.S. and other like-minded partners to further advance the security and wellbeing of Pacific island countries and their peoples.\u201d\n\nFor additional information on the BLUE Pacific Act, please find additional documents below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:49:40Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=541", "Statement By Congressman Case Following President Biden's Address Tonight To a Joint Session of Congress", "2021-04-28", "2021", "2021-04", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) issued the following statement after tonight\u2019s address by President Joseph Biden to a joint session of the United States Congress:\n\n\u201cPresident Biden delivered a strong speech which spoke directly and candidly not only to all Americans but to our world.\n\n\u201cIn Congress we are already deeply engaged with the ambitious agenda he laid out, and I agree with him that there is a pragmatic, results-oriented path forward to achieve our mutual goals.\n\n\u201cBut aside from those proposals, what especially resonated for me was his beginning, when he asked us to choose hope over fear, and his ending, when he said that our democracy is on the line, the whole world is watching, and we must not fail.\n\n\u201cIn so many words, he asked us all to regain faith in our government, in our democracy, in ourselves, that we can and will do just that.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:42:19Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=471", "Congressman Case Announces Funeral Assistance for Those in Hawaii Who Have Lost Loved Ones to COVID-19", "2021-04-15", "2021", "2021-04", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=26", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has begun accepting applications for funeral assistance for those in Hawai\u2018i who\u2019ve lost loved ones to COVID-19. \u201cWhile no amount of money can heal the loss of a loved one, this grant program can help ease the financial strain on those who\u2019ve suffered so much from COVID-19,\u201d said Case.\n\nThe funeral assistance program was included in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan enacted by Congress and signed into law last month by President Biden. Details of the funeral assistance program are as follows:\n\n\u00b7 Those who paid for funeral expenses after January 20, 2020, for an individual whose death may have been caused by or was likely the result of COVID-19 can apply for up to $9,000 of assistance per funeral through FEMA\u2019s dedicated call center at 844-684-6333; TTY 800-462-7585, Monday-Friday, 9 AM ET - 9 PM ET. No online applications will be accepted.\n\nWho Can Apply for Assistance?\n\n\u00b7 You may qualify if: You are a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who paid for funeral expenses after January 20, 2020, and the funeral expenses were for an individual whose death in the United States, territories or the District of Columbia, may have been caused by or was likely the result of COVID-19.\n\n\u00b7 Individuals may apply for assistance for multiple funerals.\n\nHow Can One Apply?\n\n\u00b7 FEMA\u2019s dedicated call center at 844-684-6333; TTY 800-462-7585, Monday-Friday, 9 AM ET - 9 PM ET. No online applications will be accepted. Multilingual services will be available.\n\nWhat Information do Applicants Need to Provide?\n\nThe applicant responsible for COVID-19 funeral expenses will need to provide the following information below when they call FEMA to register for assistance. FEMA recommends gathering this information ahead of the application process.\n\n\u00b7 Social Security number for the applicant and the deceased individual\n\n\u00b7 Date of birth for the applicant and the deceased individual\n\n\u00b7 Current mailing address for the applicant\n\n\u00b7 Current telephone number for the applicant\n\n\u00b7 Location or address where the deceased individual passed away\n\n\u00b7 Information about burial or funeral insurance policies\n\n\u00b7 Information about other funeral assistance received, such as donations\n\n\u00b7 CARES Act grants and assistance from voluntary organizations\n\n\u00b7 Routing and account number of the applicant\u2019s checking or savings account (for direct deposit, if requested)\n\nApplicants can learn more from FEMA HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:42:19Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=468", "Case Joins the Bipartisan U.S. House Problem Solvers Caucus", "2021-04-09", "2021", "2021-04", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (Hawai\u2018i \u2013 District 1) today announced that he has joined the U.S. House Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan coalition of U.S. Representatives committed to forging nonpartisan solutions on key national issues.\n\n\u201cIn our deeply divided and polarized country, it is more critical than ever that we move past the politics of all-or-nothing and forge a better path to just plain solving problems and delivering solutions for all Americans,\u201d said Case. \u201cThe Problem Solvers Caucus offers that path, starting with open and civil debate on the most difficult issues of our time, and on through to mainstream solutions that will earn the lasting support of most Americans.\u201d\n\nIn his first action with the Caucus, Congressman Case will join a Caucus delegation to the US-Mexico border this weekend for a first-hand review of the ongoing surge of migrants and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection\u2019s response. The Caucus is addressing comprehensive immigration reform including border security.\n\nThe Problem Solvers Caucus is a coalition of 58 Members of the U.S. House, equally divided between Democrats and Republicans, united in the pursuit of commonsense solutions to many of our country\u2019s toughest challenges. In the 115th and 116th Congresses, the Caucus worked towards bipartisan solutions on a broad range of issues, including COVID-19, infrastructure, health care, immigration, criminal justice reform and gun violence reduction. In the current 17th Congress, the Caucus continues on these and other difficult issues including energy, election security, climate change and broadband development in addition to immigration.\n\n\u201cIn our democracy, partisan debate and disagreement will always have a place and there will always be times for decisions supported by the majority and opposed by the minority\u201d, said Case. \u201cBut that cannot be the rule governing each and every issue we face, with no room left even for constructive discussion and solutions that meld the best of diverse views. I\u2019m truly looking forward to working with my fellow Problem Solvers toward applying our perspectives to the toughest of our issues.\u201d\n\nCase said he hopes to contribute to the Caucus\u2019 work in several areas, including addressing our nation\u2019s skyrocketing deficits and debt.\n\nMore information on the Problem Solvers Caucus is here: https://problemsolverscaucus-gottheimer.house.gov.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:42:19Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=441", "Kahele, Case Pursue National Heritage Sites For Hawai\u2018i", "2021-03-16", "2021", "2021-03", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Hawai\u02bbi\u2019s U.S. House delegation today jointly introduced two measures to pursue creation of the first National Heritage Areas (NHA) in the State of Hawai\u02bbi.\n\nCongressman Kaiali\u02bbi Kahele (HI-02), joined by Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), is calling for a feasibility study to determine whether the South Kona coastline on the Island of Hawai\u02bbi should be designated as an NHA, while Case, joined by Kahele, is reintroducing his measure from the just-concluded 116th Congress for a similar designation for Ka\u02bbena Point on the Island of O\u02bbahu.\n\nSince the designation of the nation\u2019s first National Heritage Area in 1984, there are now 55 NHAs nationally but none in the state of Hawai\u02bbi.\n\nKahele\u2019s measure focuses on the coastal area between Ka Lae and Honomalino Bay, along miles of mostly pristine coastline. The area is host to some of the richest and most well-preserved cultural aspects of Hawai\u02bbi\u2019s history along with invaluable and unique environmental and natural resources.\n\n\u201cThe South Kona coastline has some of the most unique historical, cultural, and archaeological features on the planet,\u201d said Kahele. \u201cThis bill can ensure the conservation and preservation of this area in its current natural state and begin the federal process of a National Heritage Area designation.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe South Kona coastline still retains so much of the unique cultural, historical and physical essence of the real Hawai\u02bbi,\u201d said Case, a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources with jurisdiction over NHAs. \u201cIt holds a special place in my heart from my own small kid times there and fully needs and deserves the assistance of an NHA.\u201d\n\nCase\u2019s measure focuses on the undeveloped area of Ka\u02bbena Point on the west end of O\u02bbahu from Makua to Waialua. It is the site of the last intact sand dune ecosystem in Hawai\u02bbi and is said to be named after a sibling of the Hawaiian goddess Pele. Ka\u02bbena Point also includes a leina ka \u2018uhane, an important recognized cultural site that, according to some Hawaiian traditions, is where the souls of the deceased leapt into the next plane of existence. Ka\u2018ena is also home to various protected species including laysan albatrosses, wedge-tailed shearwaters, monk seals and fragile native plants.\n\n\u201cKa\u02bbena Point, largely state-owned, is the perfect candidate for a National Heritage Area in Hawai\u02bbi given its truly unique cultural, historic and environmental heritage and qualities,\u201d said Case. \u201cThe State of Hawai\u02bbi\u2019s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has already created a management plan for the Ka\u2018ena Point Stewardship Area to protect one of the last few remaining and easily accessible wilderness areas on O\u2018ahu.\u201d\n\n\u201cKa\u02bbena Point holds a special place for many Native Hawaiians who visit the area for traditional cultural reasons, as well as non-Hawaiians who tour the area to learn about its significance,\u201d said Kahele. \u201cEstablishing Ka\u02bbena point as a National Heritage Area is long overdue.\u201d\n\nNHAs offer federal assistance of joint efforts to manage NHAs for specific protections and uses appropriate to each. Kahele and Case emphasized that any studies for South Kona and Ka\u02bbena Point would fully involve all engaged communities in charting the overall plan for protection and use of these unique parts of the rich heritage of our country.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:33:37Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=438", "$1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan COVID-19 Relief Bill Wins Final Approval By Congress", "2021-03-10", "2021", "2021-03", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Washington,DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) joined a majority of his colleagues today in voting for final passage of the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion measure to deliver further federal emergency assistance to confront the ongoing health, economic and social crisis of COVID-19.\n\n\u201cThis bill, the eighth bill the House has passed with my support since the onset of COVID-19, is the critically-needed next effort by Congress to deliver assistance to so many still-critical needs throughout our country,\u201d said Case.\n\n\"This measure targets further assistance to our most dire needs: boosting production and distribution of the vaccines approved to fight the spread of the virus; extending unemployment benefits for our workers who are still without a job; making further direct stimulus payments to individuals and families in need; helping our small businesses and especially-impacted industries; and aiding in the safe reopening of our schools.\n\n\u201cThis measure as passed by Congress also provides additional direct funding to our state and county governments whose budgets have taken a severe hit from the loss of revenue due to the shutdowns triggered by the pandemic.\n\n\"Since the tragic onset of COVID-19, I have worked to pass emergency assistance through our $2.2 trillion CARES Act last March, our $900 billion act last December, and now this $1.9 trillion package. I have also worked to assure that a fair share of this emergency assistance is actually received and applied to so many critical needs back home.\n\n\u201cSo far Hawai\u2018i has received some $11 billion from various federal COVID relief bills and is expected to receive over $3 billion from our December package. This measure will add billions more to assist governments, businesses, workers, communities, and families across Hawai\u2018i as we continue to weather the crisis.\n\n\u201cI expect President Biden will sign the measure in the next few days to ensure the continuation of our existing emergency benefits that were previously set to expire by mid-March. Upon approval by the President, the full resources of my office will focus on getting all of this assistance to where it is needed as fast and comprehensively as possible.\n\n\"I ask anyone with questions on what is available or how to apply to go to my website, case.house.gov, at the COVID-19 tab for comprehensive information on this and our other measures.\n\nWe are also available to answer any questions at ed.case@mail.house.gov or my Honolulu office at (808) 650-6688.\u201d\n\nHighlights of the $1.9 trillion measure of special interest to Hawai\u2018i include:\n\n\u00b7 $350 Billion for State and Local Governments: The funds would be available for governments to respond to COVID-19 emergency needs, including, this time, to replace revenue that was lost, delayed, or reduced relative to revenue projections as of January 27, 2020. Of that amount, an estimated $2.2 billion will go to the State of Hawai\u2018i and to each of its counties. The projected breakdown is:\n\no Total State and Local Government in Hawai\u2018i: $2.272 billion\n\no State of Hawai\u2018i: $1.632 billion\n\no Counties / Local Government in Hawai\u2018i: $524 million\n\no Hawai\u2018i Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund: $115 million\n\n\u00b7 Further Economic Impact Payments: Often referred to as \u201cstimulus payments,\u201d they would be paid to qualifying individuals and families in need as much as $1,400 for an individual, $2,800 for joint filers, and $1,400 for each qualifying dependent.\n\n\u00b7 Extension of Federal Unemployment Benefits: Federal supplement benefits would increase to $400 per week, from $300, for those qualified for federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. The extra payments would apply to weeks of unemployment after March 14, 2021 through August 29, 2021.\n\nThe bill would also extend through August 29th other jobless benefits made available under the CARES Act passed in March 2020 that were slated to expire on March 14th, with changes that include:\n\no increasing the duration of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits to as long as 74 weeks, from 50 weeks, for individuals who don\u2019t qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits; and\n\no extending to 48 weeks, from 24 weeks, benefits for those who\u2019ve exhausted regular benefits under the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.\n\nThe measure would also extend through August 29th:\n\no federal payments to nonprofits and government agencies for 75 percent, increased from 50 percent, of the costs of providing unemployment benefits;\n\no interest-free federal loans for state unemployment trust funds;\n\no full federal funding to qualifying states for the extended benefit and work-sharing programs; and\n\no full, instead of partial, federal funding for states to provide regular unemployment benefits without a waiting period.\n\n\u00b7 Aid to Small Businesses: The measure would increase funding and expand eligibility for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and allow forgiveness for additional expenses. There would be an increase in the program\u2019s lending authority by $7.3 billion, to $813.7 billion, and an appropriation of the same amount for the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guarantee additional loans.\n\nThe measure would provide $25 billion for a Restaurant Revitalization Fund to be administered by the SBA. Eligible recipients would include restaurants, bars, food trucks, and caterers, including businesses in airport terminals and tribally owned entities.\n\nAdditional funding also would be made available for advance payments to eligible entities under the SBA\u2019s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.\n\nThe measure would provide $100 million for the SBA to establish a Community Navigator Pilot Program for small businesses. The agency would issue grants or enter into agreements with nonprofits, small business resource centers, states, territories, tribes, and localities. They would have to ensure the free delivery of assistance from community groups and financial institutions to help small businesses access SBA programs during COVID-19.\n\nThe measure would provide an additional $75 million for the SBA to promote community navigator services to small businesses, including through its website, an advertising campaign, and a telephone hotline.\n\nThe SBA\u2019s authority to issue grants would expire on December 31, 2025.\n\nThe measure also would provide:\n\no $1.25 billion in additional funding for SBA grants to live venues and other cultural institutions under a program in the December 2020 relief package.\n\no $840 million in additional administrative funds for the SBA to carry out the PPP and other initiatives to aid small businesses during COVID-19.\n\no $390 million to administer the SBA\u2019s disaster loan program and $70 million for the cost of additional loans.\n\n\u00b7 Health Care Funding: The measure would fund a host of public health-related activities including:\n\no $47.8 billion for testing and tracing activities,\n\no $8.5 billion for vaccine development and review at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,\n\no $7.7 billion to expand the public health workforce, including grants to state, local, and territorial health departments,\n\no $7.6 billion for community health centers,\n\no $6.1 billion for tribal health programs,\n\no $6.1 billion to support manufacturing and purchasing vaccines,\n\no $3.5 billion for block grant programs under the Substance\n\nAbuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and\n\no $1.8 billion for genomic sequencing and surveillance.\n\nThe measure also would provide $250 million for \u201cstrike teams\u201d to assist skilled nursing facilities and $200 million for infection control support at those facilities.\n\n\u00b7 Funding for Schools: The measure would provide $128.6 billion for grants to states to support local educational agencies in addressing learning loss. Twenty percent of the funding would have to be used for summer learning, after-school programs, or extended-day or extended-year programs, as well as to provide equitable services to students who aren\u2019t in public schools.\n\nThe rest could be used for a number of education-related expenses, including inspection and improvement of school facilities to ensure adequate air quality, provide mental health services, and purchase technology.\n\nStates that receive the grants couldn\u2019t reduce their spending levels on education as a proportion of their budgets during fiscal 2022 or 2023, compared with the average level from fiscal 2017 through 2019. Similar restrictions would apply to spending reductions in high-poverty school districts.\n\nThe measure would also provide $39.6 billion for emergency financial aid grants at higher education institutions. Institutions would have to use at least half of the funding they receive for emergency financial aid grants. Funds could also be used to monitor and suppress the coronavirus and for outreach to financial aid applicants regarding potential adjustments related to the pandemic.\n\n\u00b7 Tourism Assistance: The bill includes $3 billion Economic Adjustment Assistance provided by the Commerce Department. 15% of that assistance is dedicated to communities with job losses in the tourism industry.\n\n\u00b7 Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund: this is a new $10 billion provision in the Plan that would give $100 million to each state, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico to fund \u201ccritical capital projects directly enabling work, education, and health monitoring, including remote options, in response to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease.\u201d\n\nAn additional $100 million will be split between Hawai\u2018i and tribal governments, with each receiving a minimum of $50,000.\n\n\u00b7 Housing Aid: The measure would provide $20.3 billion for rental assistance payments through the Treasury Department, building off the $25 billion in the December 2020 COVID-19 package.\n\nFunds would be allocated to states and to localities with at least 200,000 people. Each state plus the District of Columbia would receive at least $152 million. The measure also would set aside $305 million for several U.S. territories and $1.2 billion for \u201chigh-need grantees\u201d based on their population of low-income renter households, rental market costs, and employment trends.\n\nThe Treasury Department would have to ensure each grantee receives at least 40% of its allocation within 60 days of the measure\u2019s enactment.\n\nGrantees would have to use the funds to provide financial assistance to eligible households, including for rental and utility payments. Total assistance provided to a household under the measure and the year-end package couldn\u2019t cover more than 18 months.\n\nHouseholds will qualify for rental assistance if they have:\n\no At least one member who qualified for unemployment benefits, had their income reduced, or experienced other financial hardship due to COVID-19.\n\no At least one member who can provide an eviction notice, evidence of unsafe living conditions, or other information to show they\u2019re at risk of homelessness or housing instability.\n\no Household income that doesn\u2019t exceed 80% of the area median income.\n\nFunds provided to grantees under the measure would remain available through September 30, 2025. The measure also would extend the use of rental assistance funds under the year-end package through September 30, 2022.\n\nThe measure would provide $9.96 billion to establish a Homeowner Assistance Fund at the Treasury Department.\n\nThe Department would allocate funds requested by states, territories, and tribes to prevent homeowner mortgage defaults, foreclosures, and displacements. Funds could be used to:\n\no Reduce mortgage principal amounts.\n\no Assist homeowners with mortgage, utilities, tax, and insurance payments.\n\no Reimburse state and local governments for money spent since January 21, 2020, to prevent housing losses due to COVID-19.\n\nCovered mortgages would include those with an unpaid principal balance at the time of origination that was less than a loan limit set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency ($822,375 for one-unit properties in Hawai\u2018i).\n\nEach state, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, would receive at least $40 million. Additional amounts would be set aside for other U.S. territories and tribes.\n\nFunding recipients would have to set aside at least 60% of their allocation to assist homeowners who make less than 100% of the local or national median income, whichever is greater.\n\nThe measure would also provide $5 billion for emergency Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers.\n\nThe Housing and Urban Development Department would have to provide the vouchers through public housing agencies to individuals and families who are currently or recently homeless, and to those who are fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking.\n\nPublic housing agencies couldn\u2019t reissue the vouchers after September 30, 2023.\n\nAn additional $5 billion would be allocated to state and local governments to provide supportive services for homeless and other at-risk individuals. The funds could be used to:\n\no Provide tenant-based rental assistance.\n\no Develop affordable housing.\n\no Offer services such as housing counseling and homelessness prevention.\n\nAcquire non-congregate shelter units, such as hotel rooms, that could be converted to permanent housing\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:33:37Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=437", "U.S. House Passes Major Government Reform Measure", "2021-03-03", "2021", "2021-03", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced today that his amendment to strengthen mail-in balloting was included in the landmark H.R. 1 \u201cFor the People\u201d measure that he co-introduced this year and once again passed the full U.S. House of Representatives.\n\nIn remarks to the full House, Case said:\n\n\u201cOur \u2018For the People Act\u2019 is a truly revolutionary bill that will implement many of the most critical government reform efforts we need to get government working for the people again, such as fighting voter suppression, simplifying voting, promoting election security, curbing special interest and dark money in politics, incentivizing smaller and broader donations, increasing transparency and fortifying ethics laws.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn my Hawai\u2018i, which performed its first universal vote-by-mail election in the 2020 primary elections, vote-by-mail increased election accessibility across-the-board, especially for our k\u016bpuna (elders) and those in underserved communities for whom in-person voting is problematic, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n\u201cHawaii\u2019s most recent primary election resulted in the highest voter turnout percentage for a primary election in our state\u2019s history, and more people voted in Hawaii\u2019s general election than ever before.\n\n\u201cWe demonstrated to ourselves and the rest of the country that we can hold an all-mail election with virtually no fraud claims or disputed election results.\u201d\n\n\u201cDespite Hawaii\u2019s success, I am sure we can do even better, and there are best practices that can be shared amongst the states across our nation to encourage the even more widespread adoption of vote-by-mail,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cThus, my amendment simply directs the Election Assistance Commission to conduct a study on vote-by-mail efforts in 2020 elections and develop recommendations to help states better administer their elections in the future.\u201d\n\nCase added: \u201cthis is what drove me to re-enter government when I campaigned for a return to Congress in 2018, and there was no other issue out on the campaign trail across my district that so unified people.\u201d\n\nCase said the bill, which was first introduced in the 116th Congress in 2019 and approved in the House but failed to pass the Senate, \u201cwas driven by my Reformers Caucus and many other grassroots groups and our supporters in Congress and will go a long way toward returning government to the people \u2013 where it belongs.\u201d\n\n\u00b7 Case\u2019s full remarks on H.R.1 are here\n\n\u00b7 Attachments: pictures of House members including Congressman Case on the steps of the Capitol today in a press conference prior to the vote on H.R. 1.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:33:37Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=431", "U.S.  House Passes $1.9 Trillion Federal Funding Bill", "2021-02-26", "2021", "2021-02", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) joined a majority of his colleagues tonight in supporting U.S. House of Representatives passage of a $1.9 trillion measure to deliver further federal emergency assistance to confront the ongoing health, economic and social crisis of COVID-19.\n\n\u201cThis bill, the eighth bill the House has passed with my support since the onset of COVID-19, is the critically-needed next effort by Congress to deliver assistance to so many still-critical needs throughout our country,\u201d said Case.\n\n\"This measure targets further assistance to our most dire needs: boosting production and distribution of the vaccines approved to fight the spread of the virus; extending unemployment benefits for our workers who are still without a job; making further direct stimulus payments to individuals and families in need; helping our small businesses and especially-impacted industries; and aiding in the safe reopening of our schools.\n\n\u201cThis measure as passed by the House also provides additional direct funding to our state and county governments whose budgets have taken a severe hit from the loss of revenue due to the shutdowns triggered by the pandemic.\n\n\"Since the tragic onset of COVID-19, I have worked to pass emergency assistance through our $2.2 trillion CARES Act last March, our $900 billion act last December, and now this $1.9 trillion package. I have also worked to assure that a fair share of this emergency assistance is actually received and applied to so many critical needs back home.\n\n\u201cSo far Hawai\u2018i has received some $11 billion from various federal COVID relief bills and is expected to receive over $3 billion from our December package. This measure will add billions more to assist governments, businesses, workers, communities, and families across Hawai\u2018i as we continue to weather the crisis.\n\n\u201cI sincerely hope that the U.S. Senate now passes our measure and sends it to President Biden for signature as soon as possible and in any event by mid-March, when some of our existing emergency benefits expire. In the meantime, the full resources of my office will remain focused on getting all of this assistance to where it is needed as fast and comprehensively as possible.\n\n\"I ask anyone with questions on what is available or how to apply to go to my website, case.house.gov, at the COVID-19 tab for comprehensive information on this and our other measures.\n\nWe are also available to answer any questions at ed.case@mail.house.gov or my Honolulu office at (808) 650-6688.\u201d\n\nHighlights of the $1.9 trillion measure of special interest to Hawai\u2018i include:\n\n\u00b7 $350 Billion for State and Local Governments: The funds would be available for governments to respond to COVID-19 emergency needs, including, this time, to replace revenue that was lost, delayed, or reduced relative to revenue projections as of January 27, 2020. Of that amount, an estimated $2.1 billion will go to the State of Hawai\u2018i and to each of its counties. The projected breakdown is:\n\no Total State and Local Government in Hawai\u2018i: $2.169 billion\n\no State of Hawai\u2018i: $1.645 billion\n\no Counties / Local Government in Hawai\u2018i: $524 million\n\n\u00b7 Further Economic Impact Payments: Often referred to as \u201cstimulus payments,\u201d they would be paid to qualifying individuals and families in need as much as $1,400 for an individual, $2,800 for joint filers, and $1,400 for each qualifying dependent.\n\n\u00b7 Extension of Federal Unemployment Benefits: Federal supplement benefits would increase to $400 per week, from $300, for those qualified for federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. The extra payments would apply to weeks of unemployment after March 14, 2021 through August 29, 2021.\n\nThe bill would also extend through August 29th other jobless benefits made available under the CARES Act passed in March 2020 that were slated to expire on March 14th, with changes that include:\n\no increasing the duration of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits to as long as 74 weeks, from 50 weeks, for individuals who don\u2019t qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits; and\n\no extending to 48 weeks, from 24 weeks, benefits for those who\u2019ve exhausted regular benefits under the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.\n\nThe measure would also extend through August 29th:\n\no federal payments to nonprofits and government agencies for 75 percent, increased from 50 percent, of the costs of providing unemployment benefits;\n\no interest-free federal loans for state unemployment trust funds;\n\no full federal funding to qualifying states for the extended benefit and work-sharing programs; and\n\no full, instead of partial, federal funding for states to provide regular unemployment benefits without a waiting period.\n\n\u00b7 Aid to Small Businesses: The measure would increase funding and expand eligibility for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and allow forgiveness for additional expenses. There would be an increase in the program\u2019s lending authority by $7.3 billion, to $813.7 billion, and an appropriation of the same amount for the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guarantee additional loans.\n\nThe measure would provide $25 billion for a Restaurant Revitalization Fund to be administered by the SBA. Eligible recipients would include restaurants, bars, food trucks, and caterers, including businesses in airport terminals and tribally owned entities.\n\nAdditional funding also would be made available for advance payments to eligible entities under the SBA\u2019s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.\n\nThe measure would provide $100 million for the SBA to establish a Community Navigator Pilot Program for small businesses. The agency would issue grants or enter into agreements with nonprofits, small business resource centers, states, territories, tribes, and localities. They would have to ensure the free delivery of assistance from community groups and financial institutions to help small businesses access SBA programs during COVID-19.\n\nThe measure would provide an additional $75 million for the SBA to promote community navigator services to small businesses, including through its website, an advertising campaign, and a telephone hotline.\n\nThe SBA\u2019s authority to issue grants would expire on December 31, 2025.\n\nThe measure also would provide:\n\no $1.25 billion in additional funding for SBA grants to live venues and other cultural institutions under a program in the December 2020 relief package.\n\no $840 million in additional administrative funds for the SBA to carry out the PPP and other initiatives to aid small businesses during COVID-19.\n\no $390 million to administer the SBA\u2019s disaster loan program and $70 million for the cost of additional loans.\n\n\u00b7 Health Care Funding: The measure would fund a host of public health-related activities including:\n\no $47.8 billion for testing and tracing activities,\n\no $8.5 billion for vaccine development and review at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,\n\no $7.7 billion to expand the public health workforce, including grants to state, local, and territorial health departments,\n\no $7.6 billion for community health centers,\n\no $6.1 billion for tribal health programs,\n\no $6.1 billion to support manufacturing and purchasing vaccines,\n\no $3.5 billion for block grant programs under the Substance\n\nAbuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and\n\no $1.8 billion for genomic sequencing and surveillance.\n\nThe measure also would provide $250 million for \u201cstrike teams\u201d to assist skilled nursing facilities and $200 million for infection control support at those facilities.\n\n\u00b7 Funding for Schools: The measure would provide $128.6 billion for grants to states to support local educational agencies in addressing learning loss. Twenty percent of the funding would have to be used for summer learning, after-school programs, or extended-day or extended-year programs, as well as to provide equitable services to students who aren\u2019t in public schools.\n\nThe rest could be used for a number of education-related expenses, including inspection and improvement of school facilities to ensure adequate air quality, provide mental health services, and purchase technology.\n\nStates that receive the grants couldn\u2019t reduce their spending levels on education as a proportion of their budgets during fiscal 2022 or 2023, compared with the average level from fiscal 2017 through 2019. Similar restrictions would apply to spending reductions in high-poverty school districts.\n\nThe measure would also provide $39.6 billion for emergency financial aid grants at higher education institutions. Institutions would have to use at least half of the funding they receive for emergency financial aid grants. Funds could also be used to monitor and suppress the coronavirus and for outreach to financial aid applicants regarding potential adjustments related to the pandemic.\n\nTourism Assistance: The bill includes $3 billion Economic Adjustment Assistance provided by the Commerce Department. 15% of that assistance is dedicated to communities with job losses in the tourism industry.\n\nHousing Aid: The measure would provide $20.3 billion for rental assistance payments through the Treasury Department, building off the $25 billion in the December 2020 COVID-19 package.\n\nFunds would be allocated to states and to localities with at least 200,000 people. Each state plus the District of Columbia would receive at least $152 million. The measure also would set aside $305 million for several U.S. territories and $1.2 billion for \u201chigh-need grantees\u201d based on their population of low-income renter households, rental market costs, and employment trends.\n\nThe Treasury Department would have to ensure each grantee receives at least 40% of its allocation within 60 days of the measure\u2019s enactment.\n\nGrantees would have to use the funds to provide financial assistance to eligible households, including for rental and utility payments. Total assistance provided to a household under the measure and the year-end package couldn\u2019t cover more than 18 months.\n\nHouseholds will qualify for rental assistance if they have:\n\no At least one member who qualified for unemployment benefits, had their income reduced, or experienced other financial hardship due to COVID-19.\n\no At least one member who can provide an eviction notice, evidence of unsafe living conditions, or other information to show they\u2019re at risk of homelessness or housing instability.\n\no Household income that doesn\u2019t exceed 80% of the area median income.\n\nFunds provided to grantees under the measure would remain available through September 30, 2025. The measure also would extend the use of rental assistance funds under the year-end package through September 30, 2022.\n\nThe measure would provide $9.96 billion to establish a Homeowner Assistance Fund at the Treasury Department.\n\nThe Department would allocate funds requested by states, territories, and tribes to prevent homeowner mortgage defaults, foreclosures, and displacements. Funds could be used to:\n\no Reduce mortgage principal amounts.\n\no Assist homeowners with mortgage, utilities, tax, and insurance payments.\n\no Reimburse state and local governments for money spent since January 21, 2020, to prevent housing losses due to COVID-19.\n\nCovered mortgages would include those with an unpaid principal balance at the time of origination that was less than a loan limit set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency ($822,375 for one-unit properties in Hawai\u2018i).\n\nEach state, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, would receive at least $40 million. Additional amounts would be set aside for other U.S. territories and tribes.\n\nFunding recipients would have to set aside at least 60% of their allocation to assist homeowners who make less than 100% of the local or national median income, whichever is greater.\n\nThe measure would also provide $5 billion for emergency Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers.\n\nThe Housing and Urban Development Department would have to provide the vouchers through public housing agencies to individuals and families who are currently or recently homeless, and to those who are fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking.\n\nPublic housing agencies couldn\u2019t reissue the vouchers after September 30, 2023.\n\nAn additional $5 billion would be allocated to state and local governments to provide supportive services for homeless and other at-risk individuals. The funds could be used to:\n\no Provide tenant-based rental assistance.\n\no Develop affordable housing.\n\no Offer services such as housing counseling and homelessness prevention.\n\no Acquire non-congregate shelter units, such as hotel rooms, that could be converted to permanent housing.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:26:35Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=427", "Case Earns 100% Ranking By Key National Environmental Organization", "2021-02-18", "2021", "2021-02", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) \u2013 One of the country\u2019s leading environmental watchdog organizations today released its 2020 National Environmental Scorecard and gave U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) its top ranking of 100%.\n\nThe League of Conservation Voters (LCV), whose motto is \u201cOur Earth Is Worth Fighting For,\u201d ranked Case\u2019s record last year on key national initiatives to achieve climate action, environmental justice, clean air and water, a clean energy future and public and sacred resources protection.\n\n\u201cI truly treasure this recognition by the LCV of my record on this most basic of obligations, not just for my Hawai\u2018i but for our country and world,\u201d said Case, who served in the 116th Congress (2019-2021) as a member of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources with jurisdiction over national environmental policy.\n\nCase also cited specific areas of focus, including:\n\n\u00b7 As a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government, he advanced appropriations of $5.45 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including increased funding for the agency\u2019s research and conservation work in our oceans, as well as world-leading climate change research at Mauna Loa Observatory;\n\n\u00b7 He secured the inclusion of two measures he introduced, H.R. 3384, the Coral Reef Sustainability Through Innovation Act, and H.R. 6738, the Coral Reef Reauthorization Act of 2020, in the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis\u2019 comprehensive report and recommendations;\n\n\u00b7 He introduced the Hawai\u2018i Invasive Species Act (and re-introduced it this year) to protect the state\u2019s unique ecosystems, natural resources and agricultural communities from the crippling effects of invasive species;\n\n\u00b7 He partnered with his colleague Jared Huffman (CA-2), the Chair of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife on which Case also served, to conduct a national listening session on changes to our nation\u2019s primary federal fisheries law, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, including a session which he chaired at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, and then to propose amendments to be addressed in the current Congress.\n\nCase also secured reappointment for the current 117th Congress (2021-2023) to the House Natural Resources Committee and, yesterday, to the following three key subcommittees with jurisdiction over critical areas for Hawai\u2018i:\n\n\u00b7 Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife, whose responsibilities include our nation\u2019s and world\u2019s oceans;\n\n\u00b7 Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, whose responsibilities encompass protection and expansion of our nation\u2019s crown jewels; and\n\n\u00b7 Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, whose responsibilities include Native Hawaiians.\n\n\u201cThere is so much in my Natural Resources Committee and subcommittees of critical importance not just to our country but specifically to our Hawai\u2018i,\u201d said Case. \u201cI am truly looking forward to leveraging my position on Natural Resources and Appropriations and my relationships in and out of Congress to pursue and expand initiatives in all of these areas.\u201d\n\nNOTE: The LCV scorecard can be found here scorecard.lcv.org.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:26:35Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=425", "Congressman Case On His Vote on Feb. 3, 2021 on  House Concurrent Resolution 11", "2021-02-10", "2021", "2021-02", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) - First, I fully support further specific targeted additional COVID-19 emergency assistance up to the $1.9 trillion requested by President Biden, just as I voted for every COVID-19 assistance bill brought before and passed by the full U.S. House during the just-concluded 116th Congress, including the following:\n\n\u00b7 I voted for the first COVID-19 measure in early-March of 2020, which immediately provided $8.3 billion of supplemental funding to rapidly accelerate the development of a vaccine against COVID-19, get dramatically more test kits out into our communities and provide aid to state and local governments and providers, where most of our front-line efforts are occurring.\n\n\u00b7 In mid-March, I voted for the second measure, the roughly $200-300 billion Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which sought to address the severe impacts of COVID-19 on the personal health, safety and financial security of Americans. It supported paid sick leave in small businesses, ensured free coronavirus testing, support stronger unemployment benefits, expanded food assistance for vulnerable children and families, protected front-line health workers and delivered additional funding to states for the ongoing economic consequences of the pandemic.\n\n\u00b7 I voted for the $2.1 trillion CARES Act in late-March, which fully focused on meeting the health, economic social crisis head-on. This measure provided $1,200 direct payment to most Americans, created the Paycheck Protection Program, which helped more than 24,000 small businesses in Hawai\u2018i, provided state and local governments in Hawai\u2018i with $1.25 billion to address local needs and provided enhanced unemployment benefits for those who were out of work.\n\n\u00b7 In April, I voted for the $484 billion Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, which provided an additional $320 billion to the Paycheck Protection program and provided more funding for hospitals and testing for COVID-19.\n\n\u00b7 I voted for the $3 trillion HEROES Act in May, which was not taken up by the Senate, but would have provided desperately needed assistance to help our nation and Hawai\u2019i, from our state and local governments with crippling revenue shortfalls, our health and first responder front-liners, teachers and other essential workers, our small businesses and their employees, our social safety net and the community organizations that maintain it, and our seniors and unemployed, to so many other of our fellow citizens and \u2018ohana in desperate need.\n\n\u00b7 I voted for the $2.2 trillion updated HEROES Act in September, which also died in the Senate, to respond to the changing economic, social and health needs of the COVID-19 pandemic since our passage of the original HEROES Act.\n\n\u00b7 I voted for the compromise $900 billion COVID-19 emergency relief package (H.R. 133) last December, which is currently helping address our nation\u2019s COVID-19 public health, economic and social crisis. It provided most Americans with an additional $600 direct payment, revitalized small business assistance program and provide additional funding help with vaccine distribution, though as I said repeatedly then it was not enough.\n\nSecond, House Concurrent Resolution 11 was not a vote on the Biden plan or any other specific COVID-19 assistance, but on a rare procedural mechanism (budget reconciliation) that did not contain any funding or other assistance. The Biden plan has many parts to it, none of them fully developed yet and some of them unlikely to gain support of Congress. The most urgent core funding needs in the Biden plan are for additional vaccination distribution funds, opening schools and making further direct stimulus payments. That should and can pass Congress now, without any further delay, on a bipartisan basis. I voted against H.Con.Res. 11 because I didn\u2019t believe the budget reconciliation process as set forth on H.Con.Res. 11 will get us there, as it abandons any pretense at bipartisanship, will delay even the most urgently-needed assistance, and may well end up failing since it requires virtually every Democrat in the Senate and House to vote for the final measure.\n\nI also don\u2019t support adding non-COVID emergency issues to COVID emergency assistance measures as some of my colleagues are seeking. That will further endlessly delay and ultimately risk getting critical assistance to the country, just as happened with our HEROES packages, which strung out further aid for seven long and tragic months. I further don't support giving a carte blanche on my vote for $1.9 trillion without knowing the details of what I'm being asked to vote for. My vote was against budget reconciliation at least as outlined in H.Con.Res. 11 as the wrong process to achieve the right goal of urgent, targeted COVID-specific assistance.\n\nThird, subsequently, on February 5th, I voted for Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, the Senate\u2019s budget reconciliation version. Partly it is an improvement on H.Con.Res. 11 which I didn\u2019t believe would get the job done. But mostly I supported the Senate version because the background discussion since my earlier vote is now far more recognizing and inclusive of the concerns of many Democrats that an endless budget reconciliation process not slow approval of the urgent core ingredients of the Biden plan like vaccinations, nor be abused as an open invitation to include divisive issues that are not related to COViD-19 emergency assistance and are likely to risk final passage of any further assistance. S.Con.Res. 5 passed the House on a vote of 219-209 and with passage the budget reconciliation process will commence. I certainly hope it produces specific targeted additional COVID-19 emergency assistance in the very near future.\n\nAs we continue to work through this crisis together, please visit my COVID-19 website at https://case.house.gov/coronavirus for the latest updates of my efforts to help our state and to review an automatically updated fact sheet about COVID-19 prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This site includes a summary of resources available to assist with the impacts of COVID-19, which you can download directly at https://case.house.gov/uploadedfiles/coronavirus_handout.pdf.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:26:35Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=416", "Case Pursues Strict Regulation of Unsafe and Disruptive Commercial Air Tour Operations", "2021-01-21", "2021", "2021-01", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (Hawai\u2018i \u2013 District 1) today re-introduced his Safe and Quiet Skies Act, a measure he first introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 116th Congress (2019-2021), to impose strict safety and community disruption regulations on commercial air tour operations to include helicopters and small planes.\n\n\u201cIn 2019 alone, there were 17 sightseeing tour flight and skydiving accidents nationwide with 37 tragic deaths from six of those crashes,\u201d said Case in formal remarks submitted for the U.S. House record with his bill introduction.\n\n\u201cIn my Hawai\u2018i alone, we saw three dead in the crash of a commercial air tour helicopter into a residential neighborhood, eleven more dead in the crash of a commercial skydiving plane, and then seven more dead in a commercial air tour helicopter crash in a remote mountain region.\n\n\u201cMany other areas of the country have been equally impacted, especially those with high commercial usage, more dense populations, valuable natural resources, significant defense installations and other factors.\u201d\n\nCase continued: \u201cThese tragedies occurred amidst a rapid increase in commercial helicopter and small plane overflights including residential, commercial and industrial neighborhoods, cemeteries and memorials, land and marine parks and other recreation areas, and sensitive military installations. These have disrupted whole communities with excessive noise and other impacts, destroyed the peace and sanctity of special places, increased risk to not only passengers but those on the ground, and weakened security and management of defense operations.\u201d\n\nCase\u2019s proposed law would direct the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has virtually exclusive jurisdiction over such aircraft, to adopt tighter safety recommendations long advanced by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB is responsible for reviewing the causes of aircraft accidents and making recommendations to improve operations safety, but the FAA is responsible for acting on those recommendations. Yet the FAA has refused to adopt many of the NTSB\u2019s recommendations, for which the NTSB has been openly critical.\n\n\u201cThe tragedies I mentioned occurred amidst a rapid increase in commercial helicopter and small plane overflights of all parts of Hawai\u2019i including residential, commercial and industrial neighborhoods, cemeteries and memorials, land and marine parks and other recreation areas, and sensitive military installations,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cThese have disrupted whole communities with excessive noise and other impacts, destroyed the peace and sanctity of special places, increased risk to not only passengers but those on the ground, and weakened security and management of defense operations.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis current situation is not acceptable for both safety and community impact concerns. Regarding ground disruption and risk, the FAA takes the position that its responsibility is strictly operational safety and national airspace efficiency and does not extend to ground disruption and other negative impacts.\n\n\u201cAs a result, the operators, aside from strict takeoff and approach, avoidance of established flight paths and other limited circumstances, are virtually free to fly wherever, whenever and as often as they want. And they do, with little to no self-regulation and certainly no regard for ground impacts.\n\n\u201cMy Safe and Quiet Skies Act will further mandate strict regulation of commercial air tour operations to address defense risks and community disruption, including no overflights of defense, park, cemetery and other sensitive installations and minimum altitude and maximum noise limits on all flights. Additionally, it will allow states, localities and tribes to impose stricter regulations on tour flights in their jurisdictions, to include time, route and frequency, with required public engagement.\u201d\n\nThe Safe and Quiet Skies Act specifics would:\n\nRequire that tour flights fly above the 1,500-foot altitude over actual ground at all times with very limited exceptions for emergencies and takeoff/landing;\n\nRequire tour flights over occupied areas (including residential, commercial and recreational areas) to be no louder than 55 dbA, the same level of noise commonly allowed for residential areas;\n\nAllow states and localities to impose additional requirements \u2013 stricter than the minimum national requirements called for in the act \u2013 on tour flights;\n\nRequire that all regulations under this Act, in addition to any updates to any Air Tours Common Procedure Manuals (voluntary understandings between operators and the FAA), include public engagement;\n\nProhibit tour flights over military installations, national cemeteries, national wilderness areas, national parks and national wildlife refuges;\n\nApply the \u201csterile cockpit rule\u201d to tour flights, which requires that pilots only focus on safely operating the aircraft and would define tour-giving and narrating as outside of the duties required for safe operation;\n\nRequire FAA to implement NTSB recommendations regarding Part 135 regulations, which most tour flights fly under; and,\n\nRequire all tour flights to fly under Part 135 regulations and prohibit tour flights from flying under less restrictive Part 91 regulations.\n\n\u201cIf the FAA and tour operators would do the right thing and adopt regulations and protocols that fully respond to significant and accelerating safety and community disruption concerns, then a statutory requirement may not be necessary,\u201d said Case. \u201cBut the unfortunate and too often tragic reality is that they have refused to do so, leaving no choice but to mandate these changes.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:19:43Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=414", "CASE STATEMENT ON TODAY'S INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS", "2021-01-20", "2021", "2021-01", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) made this statement following his attendance at today\u2019s inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the United States Capitol:\n\n\u201cToday, our 46th President called on all Americans to help \u2018restore the soul and secure the future of our country\u2019.\n\n\u201cSo needed, so appropriate in this difficult time of crisis and division, especially just two weeks after a violent assault on the very foundations of our democracy.\n\n\u201cEach of the 59 Inaugurations in our history has been far more than an event. It is a renewal of our vows to our country and to each other, a beacon to the rest of our world of what is possible.\n\n\u201cFor me, bearing personal witness for those I represent to this peaceful transition of power we have honored for centuries, it was a day of mixed emotions.\n\n\u201cSadness that deep division and polarization had driven us to celebrate our traditions behind fences, barbed wire and troops.\n\n\u201cBut ultimately profound appreciation, respect and pride in our country, our institutions and our democracy.\n\n\u201cAnd a renewed commitment to reach out and listen to, understand and include all voices.\n\n\u201cInaugurations are new beginnings, and that of President Biden and Vice President Harris is uniquely so.\n\n\u201cWe cannot squander this one and, with mutual effort, we won\u2019t.\u201d\n\n###\n\nCopy of the President's inaugural speech is found in files", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:19:43Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=412", "Case Re-Introduces Bills to Attack Key Driver of Hawai\u2019i\u2019s High Cost of Living", "2021-01-14", "2021", "2021-01", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=27", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) re-introduced three bills in Congress to reform the century-old Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (commonly referred to as the \u201cJones Act\u201d), which is widely credited with artificially inflating the cost of shipping goods to Hawai\u2019i.\n\n\u201cThese three bills are meant to end a century of monopolistic closed market domestic cargo shipping to and from my isolated home state of Hawai\u2018i as well as the other island and separated jurisdictions of our country that lie outside the continental United States,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cThe bills aim directly at one of the key drivers of our astronomically high cost of living in Hawai\u2018i and other similarly located jurisdictions.\u201d\n\nCase continued: \u201cBecause the Jones Act severely limits the supply of shipping to and from our communities, it has allowed a very few companies to control our very lifeline to the outside world and as a result command shipping rates way higher than the rest of the world.\n\n\u201cThe Jones Act mandates that all cargo shipping between U.S. ports occur exclusively on U.S., not foreign, flagged vessels. Additionally, the law requires that these vessels are built in the U.S. and owned and crewed by U.S. citizens. Because Jones Act shipping has shrunken and international shipping has increased dramatically, especially in the last quarter-century, the Jones Act results in a very few carriers serving all domestic shipping needs.\n\n\u201cAnd those few U.S. flag cargo lines that remain have maneuvered the Jones Act to develop virtual monopolies over domestic cargo shipping to, from and within our most isolated and exposed locales - our island and offshore states and territories \u2013 that have no alternative modes of transportation such as trucking or rail.\n\n\u201cHawai\u2018i is a classic example. Located almost 2,500 miles off the West Coast, we import well over 90 percent of our life necessities by ocean cargo. There are plenty of international cargo lines who could and would compete for a share of that market. Yet only two U.S. flag domestic cargo lines\u2014Matson Navigation and Pasha Hawai\u2018i\u2014operate a virtual duopoly over our lifeline.\n\n\u2018While they are nominally subject to federal regulation, the fact of the matter is that cargo prices have gone in only one direction--up, fast and repeatedly, despite a surplus of international shipping--and it is indisputable that there is no downward market pressure which would otherwise result from meaningful competition.\n\n\u201cThese accelerating cargo prices are not absorbed by the shipping lines, but passed through all the way down the chain, to the transporters, wholesalers, retailers, small businesses, mom-n-pops and ultimately consumers, of all of the elementals of life, from food to medical supplies, clothes, housing and virtually all other goods.\u201d\n\n\u201cMore broadly, there is much evidence about the direct impact of the Jones Act on shipping prices to noncontiguous areas. At a basic level, the everyday goods that we rely on in Hawai\u2018i cost much more than on the Mainland, a difference which largely cannot be attributed to anything other than shipping costs,\u201d said Case.\n\nLast year, the Grassroot Institute of Hawai\u2018i published a thorough and first-of-it-kind report, \u201cQuantifying the Cost of the Jones Act to Hawai\u2018i.\u201d The report found that:\n\nThe median annual cost of the Jones Act to the Hawai\u2018i economy is $1.2 billion.\n\nThe annual cost of shipping to Hawai\u2018i is estimated to be $654 million higher and prices $916 million higher.\n\nThe Jones Act annually costs each Hawai\u2018i resident more than $645.\n\nThanks to the Jones Act, Hawai\u2018i has approximately 9,100 fewer jobs, representing $404 million in wages.\n\nHawai\u2018i families across all income groups would benefit from Jones Act reform. In the absence of Jones Act restrictions, those making between $15,000 and $70,000 annually would see an annual across-the-board economic benefit ranging from $78 million to $154 million.\n\nAnnual tax revenues would be $148.2 million higher.\n\nFocusing solely on the Jones Act requirement that vessels be built in the United States, they found that the build provision results in a 1.2% shipping cost increase for Hawaii. This translates annually to an added cost of $531.7 million to the state\u2019s economy, or about $296 per resident. It also means a loss of 3,860 jobs, and $30.8 million less in state and local tax revenues.\n\nCase\u2019s three measures and their proposed amendments to the Jones Act are:\n\nthe Noncontiguous Shipping Relief Act, which exempts all noncontiguous U.S. locations, including Hawai\u2018i, from the Jones Act;\n\nthe Noncontiguous Shipping Reasonable Rate Act, which benchmarks the definition of a \u201creasonable rate\u201d which domestic shippers can charge as no more than ten percent above international shipping rates for comparable routes; and\n\nthe Noncontiguous Shipping Competition Act, which rescinds the Jones Act wherever monopolies or duopolies in noncontiguous Jones Act shipping develop.\n\n\u201cThese long-overdue bills are of the utmost importance to the unique localities which have been left undefended to bear the brunt of the Jones Act. It is often difficult to pierce the veil of longstanding custom and understanding to see the real negative impacts of a law and what should instead be. It is even more difficult to change a law which provides a federally created and endorsed monopoly under which no competition exists to hold down prices. Yet clearly the time for these measures is overdue.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:19:43Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=410", "Case Votes to Impeach the President", "2021-01-13", "2021", "2021-01", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28", "scraper", "(Honolulu, HI) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today voted with a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach President Trump for inciting violence against the United States government.\n\nThe single count of impeachment, approved by the House on a vote of 232-197, charged that President Trump incited the January 6th violent attack on the United States Capitol for the purpose of interfering with the U.S. Congress\u2019 constitutional duty to certify the results of the 2020 Presidential election. It concluded that:\n\n\u201cIn all this, President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and the institutions of Government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of power. He therefore betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.\u201d\n\n\u201cI carefully reviewed the resolution of impeachment, evidence, historical precedents, debate in the House, and the view of my constituents,\u201d said Case. \u201cI concluded that the charges in the resolution were correct and that the extreme remedy of impeachment of the President was necessary and appropriate.\n\n\u201cI further concluded that for me to vote otherwise under these circumstances would be in dereliction of my own oath to defend our Constitution, would approve intolerable conduct by our President, and would set a deeply damaging and unacceptable precedent for future Congresses and Presidents.\n\n\u201cThis is a deeply troubling and sad day and week for me. I take no pleasure in casting my second vote for impeachment of this President, but there was no other choice consistent with my duty. I can only recommit with all of my fellow citizens to finding our way through this dark chapter to a better way forward for our country.\u201d\n\nThe resolution of impeachment is now referred to the U.S. Senate, which must determine whether to convict or acquit the President of the specific charge of incitement.\n\nThe vote to impeach follows passage last night of House Resolution 21, a measure Case also voted for that called on Vice President Michael Pence to invoke Section 4 of the 25th amendment to \u201cdeclare President Donald J. Trump incapable of executing the duties of his office and to immediately exercise powers as acting President.\u201d The Vice President informed U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter that he would not abide by that House resolution.\n\nThis is the second time the U.S. House has voted to impeach Trump, a first in U.S. history.\n\nIn December 2019, Case voted with a majority of House members to approve two articles of impeachment charging the President with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for his specific actions involving Ukraine. The Senate subsequently acquitted the President on both articles.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:19:43Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=409", "Case Statement Urging Vice President Pence and Cabinet to Invoke 25th Amendment Toward Removal of President Trump from Office", "2021-01-07", "2021", "2021-01", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (D-HI) released this statement today on removal of President Trump from office:\n\n\u201cThe President\u2019s recent actions, including his flagrant attempted subversion of our election process and his incitement of yesterday\u2019s violent attack on our U.S. Capitol, cross any reasonable line into an assault on our very foundations.\n\n\u201cThey demonstrate that the President is an immediate danger to our democracy, our country and our citizens, justifying his removal from office for inability to discharge his duties under our Constitution.\n\n\u201cThat his Administration will end in thirteen days is no reason not to remove him now. The power of the Presidency is immense, and its continued abuse cannot be risked. And the precedent of acceding to such abuse cannot be accepted.\n\n\u201cI urge Vice President Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to our Constitution, which provides an expedited procedure to remove the President for such disability.\n\n\u201cI am also reviewing specific impeachment proposals if the 25th Amendment is not invoked.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:19:43Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=408", "Case Statement on Today's Violent Assault on the United States Capitol", "2021-01-06", "2021", "2021-01", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman Ed Case (D-HI), released this statement today on the violent assault on the United States Capitol during the joint session of Congress on confirming the results of the Electoral College on the election of President and Vice President of the United States:\n\n\u201cMy staff and I are ok, but many are hurt, and democracy is damaged,\u201d said Case.\n\n\u201cWhat a truly dark moment for our country, born of disrespect for our very foundations and institutions and incited by the highest levels of our leadership.\n\n\u201cBut I know this is not our America, and I know we will get through this dark time together.\n\n\u201cAnd here in DC, on Capitol Hill, tonight or tomorrow or however long it takes, and regardless of what it takes, my colleagues and I will complete our constitutional duty and confirm the results of the Presidential election.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:19:43Z"], ["https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404", "Case Takes Oath Of Office For Another Term In The United States Congress", "2021-01-03", "2021", "2021-01", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Ed Case", "C001055", "case.house.gov", "case", "https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28", "scraper", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 U.S. Congressman Ed Case (D-HI/First District) today joined his colleagues in the United States House of Representatives in taking his oath of office to serve in the 117th Congress (2021-2023).\n\n\u201cThough this is my fifth oath as Hawaii\u2019s U.S. Representative, never have I felt such a deep sense of obligation to our country to discharge my duties under our Constitution to the very best of my ability,\u201d said Case, who also represented Hawaii\u2019s First District in the just concluded 116th Congress (2019-2021) as well as Hawaii\u2019s Second District in the 109th (2005-2007), 108th (2003-2005) and a portion of the 107th (2001-2003) Congresses.\n\n\u201cAnd never have I felt that my contributions as a member of Hawaii\u2019s congressional delegation were more critical to our Hawai\u2019i.\n\n\u201cEvery Congress since our beginnings has brought its own share of challenges and opportunities, known and unknown, and that is so acutely the case with the 117th Congress. Despite all that we face, we can chart a better path forward starting today, and I will do my utmost in representing all of my constituents in making that happen.\n\n\u201cIn all this, I\u2019m deeply honored and pleased that Congressman Kaiali\u02bbi Kahele has now officially joined me in representing the home we love in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cCongressman Kahele is as well prepared as any incoming member of Hawaii\u2019s congressional delegation in our history to discharge the responsibilities we have undertaken, and I expect the very best of him for our country and Hawai\u2019i.\u201d\n\n\"I want to thank Congressman Ed Case for his mentorship in helping me prepare for the Opening Day of the 117th Congress,\u201d said Congressman Kaiali\u02bbi Kahele (HI-02).\n\n\u201cHis guidance and support over these last few months have been invaluable. He and his staff worked closely with me and my staff leading up to this important day. I look forward to working with him to help move Hawai\u02bbi forward in the years ahead.\u201d\n\nAttachments:\n\n\u00b7 Congressman Case on the floor of the U.S. House just after taking the official oath\n\n\u00b7 Congressman Case and Congressman Kahele \u201cshaka sign\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:19:43Z"], ["http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/following-calls-for-reform-from-schatz-key-provision-in-ndaa-to-begin-improving-1033-program-becomes-law", "Following Calls For Reform From Schatz, Key Provision In NDAA To Begin Improving 1033 Program Becomes Law", "2021-01-01", "2021", "2021-01", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Brian Schatz", "S001194", "www.schatz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following Calls For Reform From Schatz, Key Provision In NDAA To Begin Improving 1033 Program Becomes Law \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Schatz Forced Bipartisan Vote On Amendments To Reform 1033 Program Despite Republican Objections; NDAA Enacted Into Law Following A Veto Override From Congress \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, January 1, 2021\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON  The U.S. Senate today voted to override the president's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including key reforms to the Department of Defense's 1033 program, which authorizes the federal transfer of military equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies. The adoption of the provision follows legislation and calls from U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) to stop police militarization and reform the 1033 program. Schatz first introduced bipartisan legislation to reform the program in May 2015.\r\nThese reforms will help take weapons of war  including bayonets and grenades  out of our communities, said Senator Schatz. This is an essential step forward in demilitarizing our police departments.\r\nSenator Schatz forced a series of votes on the Senate floor in July during its consideration of the annual defense authorization bill. The final provision will restrict the transfer of bayonets, grenades, weaponized tracked combat vehicles, and weaponized drones. It will also require law enforcement agencies that receive 1033 equipment to certify that their police officers receive annual training on respect for the rights of citizens under the Constitution and de-escalation of force.\r\nReports have shown that police militarization fails to reduce rates of violent crime or change the number of officers assaulted or killed. Instead, arming police departments with military equipment has led to an increase in officer-involved shootings and civilian deaths.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 49, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "House", "p1": "HI", "p2": "2021"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=HI&year=2021", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 49, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=HI&year=2021&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=HI&year=2021", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 49, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=HI&year=2021", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=HI&year=2021", "results": [{"value": "HI", "label": "HI", "count": 49, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&year=2021", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=HI&year=2021", "results": [{"value": "2021", "label": "2021", "count": 49, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=HI", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": null, "next_url": null, "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 187.44513299316168, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}