Hirono: Budget Deal Stands as Rejection of President’s Proposed Cuts

Sen. Mazie Hirono. Still photo taken from Sen. Hirono video.

Sen. Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on the bipartisan deal reached Sunday, April 30, 2017, to fund the federal government through September:

“On balance, this bipartisan compromise provides funding for Hawai‘i priorities and stands as a rejection of the deep cuts the president has proposed to programs that are vital to our state,” Sen. Hirono said. “While this is good news for federal funding through September, I will continue to fight proposed cuts to federal funding that Hawai‘i depends on for the next fiscal year.”

Hawai‘i priorities in the federal budget deal include:

• $150 million for the Essential Air Service program that supports air transportation to Kalaupapa and Kamuela, and other Federal Aviation Administration staffing, safety, and maintenance programs.
• Maintains funding for Department of Defense Alternative Energy Research and renewable energy research at the Department of Energy, including $59 million for marine and hydrokinetic research and development which helps to support the University of Hawaii’s Hawaii National Marine Renewable Energy Center.
• The Federal Transit Authority Capital Investment Grants account includes $243,730,000 for the Honolulu Rail Transit project which completes the $1.55 billion federal share in the Full Funding Grant Agreement.
• Increases funding for Impact Aid which supports students from military families in Hawaii and nationwide.
• $16.7 million for the East-West Center.
• $26 million for the Coral Reef Conservation program.
• $34 million for the Minority Business Development Agency (MDBA) which supports the Honolulu MBDA Business Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
• $2 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant.
• $14.4 million for the Native Hawaiian Health Care Program.
• $12.3 million for the Barking Sands Tactical Underwater Range off of Kauai for Navy training.