Jill Tokuda

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, just days ago, a Hawaii veteran, Sae Joon Park, said goodbye to his family which included his elderly mother with dementia, his two adult children, and his home. Mr. Park was shot twice in combat, earning a Purple Heart for his bravery. Yet despite his sacrifice, ICE officers gave him no choice but to deport himself back to South Korea after nearly 50 years. Mr. Park served. He fought. He belonged. Yes, he made mistakes, as many veterans struggling with PTSD do, but he turned his life around. That is the reality for many veterans. They fight hard for this country and still face battles back home and, too often, alone. Republicans are now pushing a funding bill that would abandon even more veterans like Mr. Park. It shifts critical care from the VA to private corporations and makes it harder for women and immigrant veterans to get the services they need This bill isn't efficiency. It is cruelty. I will not stand by while Republicans turn our veterans into bargaining chips. When we fail our veterans, we are not just breaking a promise. We are breaking our people.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of national Women Veterans Day. Last week, I spoke with a combat veteran from Kaneohe, Hawaii, my hometown. She was among the first class of women to graduate from West Point. Two decades after leaving the Army, she returned to serve as a chaplain. She deployed to Afghanistan, earned Airborne and Air Assault qualification, and was awarded the Legion of Merit and five Meritorious Service Medals. Yet she felt compelled to come all the way to Washington, D.C., to join in a veterans protest on D-day because the very progress she helped to secure she now saw being callously unraveled. These include women's history erased from Defense websites; senior female leaders pushed out; accountability on sexual assault fading; and a narrow, male-centric culture of lethality that sidelines women in service. She asked me: How is it we are fighting and having to refight the battles we have already won? Shame on this administration for turning its back on women like my constituent who have worn the uniform and are now made to fight again for the dignity and respect they have already earned. Women veterans are watching, and they will not be silent.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Trump administration's abrupt, unjustified attempt to close Job Corps centers nationwide. I have been to the Job Corps graduation on Maui. I have looked into the eyes of students whose lives were changed. I have walked the grounds of the Waimanalo campus where young people, many of whom had nowhere else to turn, found a path to a good job and a better life. These are not statistics. These are real people, and they deserve better than to be abandoned by a system that was supposed to lift them up. A mother in Hilo wrote to me and shared that no amount of mental help was able to save her son, only Job Corps. She told me: Please save my son. Please help save Job Corps. Today, I rise not just for policy, but for people. Every young person in Hawaii and across this country just needs a chance. We must not turn our backs on them now.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, when I first met Atalina, she was on the front lines of the pandemic, keeping families housed and fed. When fires ravaged Maui, she was there for the victims. Atalina is a pillar of her community and her church. She gives everything she has to others, but even angels need help. Atalina is the mother of five, soon to be six. Her husband, who is battling cancer and now severe back injuries, can't work consistently. Atalina still works full time and still serves her neighbors and community. ``If I put my entire family on my employer insurance,'' she told me, ``it would cost more than half my paycheck.'' Medicaid gave her family access to lifesaving care. SNAP made sure her kids didn't go to bed hungry. These programs aren't ``handouts,'' she says. ``They are lifelines.'' Now, because her income barely crossed the threshold, she has lost SNAP. ``It doesn't mean we can suddenly afford groceries,'' she says. ``It just means we sacrifice even more.'' If we cut Medicaid and SNAP, we are not trimming fat. We are cutting hope. Let's be clear about the false choice we are being asked to make. Do we feed the greed of billionaires, or do we feed and care for families like Atalina's? We know who Republicans are choosing.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a warning--no, a plea. Rural America is already in crisis. People there die younger. Mothers face greater risks when giving birth. Hospitals teeter on the edge of collapse. Medicaid is the thin lifeline holding together that fragile system. Cut it and people will die. At Adventist Health Castle in Kailua, 75 percent of patients rely on Medicaid and Medicare. They have already weathered the storm of COVID. With new GOP-led cuts to provider fees, they may be forced to shut down essential services--obstetrics, pediatrics, and emergency services, care that literally keeps babies and people alive. This is not just about one hospital in Hawaii. This is a national crisis. Rural Americans face significantly worse health outcomes and health disparities. In too many rural counties, life expectancy is a decade shorter than that of their urban neighbors. Maternal mortality in rural areas is nearly double that of urban areas, and more than 200 rural hospitals have closed their doors since 2005. Over 450 more are currently at risk of shutting their doors. This isn't hypothetical. It is happening right now. Let's be clear: When these providers and hospitals close their doors, everyone in those communities, including, by the way, some Members of Congress and their families, will lose their healthcare. It won't bring me or anyone impacted any comfort or peace to say, ``I told you so.'' Suma Metla, a pediatric physical therapist and mom, treats kids with complex needs. Forty percent of her patients are on Medicaid. She told me plainly, as she sat in my office today with her 1-year-old, Kashi: If these cuts pass, we will not survive past this year. Already, speech therapists and other specialists are shutting their doors in Hawaii and across the country. Her own practice is buried in a 2-week backlog. One of two hospitals that offer similar care, and we only have two throughout the State, has a 100-child waiting list right now. Suma has traveled to Lanai to treat children no one else could reach. She tried to keep care going through telehealth, but when Congress let those tools expire, families were left stranded. Let's talk about the preschool teacher in my district whose son was born weighing less than 2 pounds--5 months in the NICU, emergency surgery, feeding tubes, with a hospital bill 50 times more than she will make in a single year covered by Medicaid. That little boy is now 3 years old, full of life, laughter, and love and obsessed with music and trucks. He is alive only because Medicaid was there. We cannot forget what is at stake. These are not just numbers on a page. They are real lives, real children, real families, and real communities, people like you and me. Slashing Medicaid won't balance a budget. It will close hospital doors. It will rip care from those who need it most. It will end lives. We must not let this happen. Find the courage. Have a conscience. Vote ``no.''

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to President Trump's unlawful and unjust deportations to El Salvador. Earlier this year, the administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th century wartime statute, to deport 137 Venezuelan men to a notorious prison abroad. This archaic law is being exploited to bypass our immigration system and deny individuals their most basic legal protections. These deportations were not based on convictions or due process. They are based on ancestry and suspicions--tattoos misidentified, affiliations assumed, rights ignored. The Supreme Court affirmed, by a 7-2 majority, these people deserve due process under our Constitution. For me and for Representative Takano, this strikes painfully close to home. During World War II, the same law was used to imprison over 120,000 Japanese Americans, including our families. My great-grandfather was taken from his home, incarcerated without cause, solely because of his ethnicity. Now, we are seeing the same injustice unfold again. In communities like Kona, Hawaii, a child was taken from his elementary school classroom. Families are taken from their homes, and people live in fear. Children miss school. Parents avoid lifesaving care and their doctors. Faith communities grow quiet, not because of guilt but because of government overreach. Let us be clear. These individuals are our neighbors, workers, students, and friends. They deserve dignity and due process, not detention and deportation. Sending people to foreign prisons without a trial, without rights, and without hope is not only unconstitutional. It is un-American, and it must stop. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to honor the oath we all took in this very Chamber to uphold the Constitution, protect due process, and defend the values that define our Nation.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the workers and families of Maui, still recovering from the devastating wildfires of 2023. Displaced workers continue to drive Maui's recovery, rebuilding homes, clearing debris, restoring infrastructure, and supporting their communities. The National Dislocated Worker Grant has been vital in funding such disaster recovery work and providing job training, temporary employment, and career services to wildfire survivors. I am grateful to the Department of Labor for awarding Hawaii $2.5 million in dislocated worker grant funding. While this is a step in the right direction, the livelihoods of displaced workers, the health of our local economy, and the long-term trajectory of Maui's recovery remain in the balance. We must continue working to secure all remaining dislocated worker funds available--$8 million--to ensure the program continues through September 2025. We can and must give our local workers this certainty during an uncertain time. Without these funds, we risk losing momentum in the recovery and leaving workers without crucial support. Maui's recovery is not just a priority. It is a promise to those who have lost so much. I will keep fighting to ensure that promise is kept.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, came together to pass the American Relief Act of 2025, securing $12 billion to rebuild communities devastated by disaster. We made a promise to North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Maui. Mr. Speaker, that promise isn't just being broken. It is being ripped apart. What a slap in the face for those constituents when that funding to rebuild homes, businesses, and communities gets delayed or even withheld because the Musk-Trump administration plans to gut HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development, the very team responsible for getting billions of relief dollars to where they belong. It will be essentially eliminated. That isn't streamlining or efficiency. That is sabotage. This week, I am proud to have led a bipartisan letter, signed by 47 Members of Congress, calling on this administration to not cut these critical positions. We voted for this funding. Now, let's do our jobs and fight to make sure it gets to the people who need it most.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the House Republican budget resolution, a blatant attempt to strip healthcare and food aid away from everyday Americans. With up to $2.5 trillion in Medicaid cuts and $230 billion slashed from SNAP, this budget plan would leave millions of families and seniors without essential support. Rural America would suffer the most. Nationwide, more than 12 million rural Americans rely on Medicaid, and SNAP participation is higher in rural areas than urban ones. In my home State of Hawaii, over 350,000 people rely on Medicaid, and nearly one in five depend on SNAP to eat. Rural Americans, who live in 181 of our congressional districts, red and blue, already face some of the harshest health disparities, living 3 to 10 years less than their urban counterparts. These cuts will only deepen such inequities and leave them with no safety net. Let me be clear. These cuts will cost lives. These are not just numbers. They are real people. They are our neighbors, our grandparents, and our children. At a time when too many are struggling, Republicans are delivering tax breaks to billionaires on the backs of our working families. Americans in rural America deserve better. Our country deserves better. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, last week, President Trump issued an illegal and unconstitutional order for the Federal Government to halt the flow of Federal funds. Shortly after, FEMA shut down its online portal used to distribute disaster assistance across the country. As if that wasn't enough, President Trump wants the Federal Government to dissolve FEMA and push disaster response and recovery to the States. These policies are not just alarming, they are downright terrifying for communities in Maui, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, and now California, still trying to recover from recent disasters. Ending FEMA will be catastrophic for small and rural communities and States across the country that do not have the financial and human resources to quickly and effectively respond to major disasters. In their times of uncertainty and need, Americans deserve to know that the Federal Government will be there for them, no matter where they live. They look to their government for help. Instead, Trump wants to abandon them. This is wrong, this is cruel, and I demand my colleagues, especially those representing disaster-impacted communities, oppose any funding freeze or delays and any efforts to dissolve FEMA. Americans deserve better.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity and with much aloha for our Nation's Federal workers. As a member of the Labor Caucus, I am proud to stand with these essential employees who keep our government running every single day. Federal workers care for our veterans, keep us safe when we travel, and make sure our seniors get the Social Security payments that they need to put food on the table and to survive. Our Federal workers were also the ones who were first on the scene when fires ravaged Maui. They saved lives. They provided food and shelter and replaced documents. They gave our people hope. Day in and day out, Federal workers are the unseen hands and hearts that guide our Nation through complex challenges and maintain the infrastructure and services that underpin daily life. They give our people hope and help. When we attack Federal workers, we not only discredit their work, Mr. Speaker, but we cut off the very hands that are holding us up. Since taking office, President Trump has made it his number one priority to undermine and dismantle our Federal workforce. Over the past 2 weeks, the Trump administration has been bullying Federal workers to resign while making a hollow promise of paying benefits through the end of the year. Now, President Trump is threatening mass layoffs to those who refuse to accept this bogus and deceptive offer. We have 43,000 hardworking Federal employees in Hawaii. Many of these civil servants have contacted me to express their anger, frustration, and fear. One constituent who spent his entire career with the Department of Health and Human Services said he had experienced several Presidential transitions but none as demeaning and demoralizing as this one. Once committed to a full career in public service, he now wakes up daily dreading the new abuses and attacks he and his colleagues will face. Let us be clear: Federal workers are not the problem. They are part of the solution. They don't make decisions based on political whim. They don't serve a single master and his billionaire friends. They serve the people of this country. The American people deserve a government that works for them, not against them. To all the Federal employees in Hawaii and across this country: We see you. We hear you. We will fight to protect you. Thank you for your dedication and for your service. You are the quiet force that keeps our Nation strong. You have always had our backs. Now it is time we have yours.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 375, the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025. The ohia lehua tree forms the backbone of Hawaii's forest and watersheds making up 80 percent of our native forests. It is the very first tree that you will see spring up from a recent lava flow. It grows from sea level to 8,000 feet above, and it protects our communities by literally holding up our mountains from eroding, keeping them together. Ohia lehua also provides critical habitat for Hawaii's federally endangered forest birds and many culturally important species. These trees are a keystone species in Hawaii's forest, and it is catastrophic to see its decline. It has the potential to trigger major imbalances in our ecosystem that would impact watersheds, cultural traditions, natural resources, and the safety and quality of life of our people. Because of the vital role they play in maintaining Hawaii's forest canopies and watersheds, rapid ohia death, or ROD, poses an existential threat to the ecological balance of our islands and the everyday life of our people. Initially reported in 2010, ROD has already spread to tens of thousands of acres and killed over a million trees on Hawaii island alone. If you visited the Big Island of Hawaii where our volcano erupts from time to time, literally, we have lost a million trees just on that island. Large swaths of dead ohia trees leave environments more prone to habitat-modifying noxious weeds and trees like miconia and strawberry guava, all of which are known to harm watershed health and alter ecosystem functions. Efforts to contain ROD have also failed to prevent its spread to the islands of Oahu, Kauai, and Maui. With no known cure for ROD, it has the potential to kill off ohia trees statewide and devastate our island ecosystems. In addition to its impacts on delicate native ecosystems, ROD has the potential to create deadly consequences for our local residents and visitors alike. The death of tens of thousands of acres of native forests, turning them into brittle tinder, creates acres of deadly fire fuel for wildfires that pose a growing threat to our communities. One of the things that people love about Hawaii is the greenery and the vegetation in and around our communities. Tragically, we know all too well the risks that come when our greenery and vegetation are no longer green and the consequences that can happen as a result of fire. Despite the dire implications of ROD on Hawaii's natural resources and communities, Federal support for combating ROD has been extremely limited. For example, the Lyon Arboretum, a local research facility on Oahu, relied on funding through a GoFundMe campaign to further the vital seed banking for ohia lehua. My bill, the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act, seeks to address ROD and the urgent threat that it presents. The bill requires the Department of the Interior to partner and collaborate with the Department of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address ROD. It also supports ongoing detection, prevention, and restoration efforts to combat rapid ohia death. By empowering the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fully assist the State of Hawaii in its ROD efforts, we can begin to not only more effectively prevent the spread of ROD but move to restoring native forests throughout our State. Mr. Speaker, I very much thank and send our sincerest ``mahalos,'' ``thanks'' to Chairman Westerman, Ranking Member Huffman, and their staff, especially the Federal lands team, for the support, assistance, and continued prioritization of this very important bill. We cannot afford to wait. We cannot afford to stand alone and continue to lose our native forests in Hawaii. They protect and sustain our people and provide critical habitat for native species. This bill can also help to turn the tide in the fight against Rapid Ohia Death and, in doing so, protect and preserve ohia lehua and Hawaii's unique ecosystems for our future generations. Mr. Speaker, I thank again all who have supported our bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes.''

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my deep concern and disappointment with the passage of H.R. 28. As a mother of teenagers in public schools, I am appalled that instead of addressing urgent challenges, like the youth mental health crisis, gun violence in our schools, and the growing teacher shortage, this legislation diverts our attention to dangerous and divisive policies. H.R. 28, under the guise of protecting fairness in sports and safety in schools, risks undermining the rights and dignity of girls and young women. Let me be clear: This bill threatens the very foundation of Title IX, the landmark legislation that, for over 50 years, has protected millions from gender-based discrimination in education. Patsy Mink, the trailblazing Congresswoman who championed Title IX, understood the deep injustices women face in education and beyond. As a woman and a Japanese American, she fought so that her daughter and all future generations could pursue their dreams without fear of prejudice or exclusion. They fought this hard fight, and for us, this bill betrays her legacy and all of her efforts by turning back the clock on these hard-won rights. Growing up, I experienced firsthand the pain of being bullied for the way I looked and being judged for not fitting traditional expectations of what a girl should look or act like. I remember vividly being told by the school administrator: ``Tuck in your shirt, boy.'' I was just a middle schooler, tall for my age, wearing my hair short, and pants, not dresses. The shock and humiliation of that moment stayed with me, and it fuels my resolve that no child should ever be made to feel ashamed of being authentically who they are. Our students already face incredible pressures and challenges. Instead of making their lives harder by policing their identities and questioning their worth, we should be supporting them, fostering environments where they can grow, thrive, and succeed as their true, authentic selves. Transgender girls are girls. Transgender women are women. If we truly want to protect girls and women, we must stand for inclusion, dignity, and respect, not division and exclusion. This isn't just about a policy. It is about our values. It is about ensuring that every student feels safe, seen, and supported. That is how we protect our children. That is how we honor the spirit of Title IX. Let's move forward with solutions that uplift and unite our schools, not tear them apart. In Solidarity With Those Impacted by California Wildfires

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, over the past 10 days, our Nation has watched with horror and sadness the harrowing scenes coming out of southern California, as these fires tore through homes, neighborhoods, and communities. On behalf of my constituents who know the terror and trauma of wildfire all too well, I rise today in solidarity with our California and Los Angeles ``ohana,'' ``family,'' and I am outraged over the callous and heartless remarks that conditions should be applied to their aid. Within days of our Maui fires, teams from CAL FIRE were by our side on the ground to help deliver relief and organize the cleanup. In our hour of greatest need, they stood by us without expectation of any reward. They simply stepped up for their fellow Americans. They showed us in Hawaii aloha. That is what we need to do as a nation, as one people. We help each other out in our times of need, regardless of where we come from, our beliefs, or how we vote. We as Members of Congress pledge to do this every single day when we convene for business: one nation, unconditionally, under God. Now, in California's time of greatest need, the President-elect, the Speaker, and other colleagues here in the House want to impose policy conditions on Federal disaster aid. Mr. Speaker, this will endanger innocent lives and delay the ability of our fellow Americans to rebuild and recover from this disaster. Never before in our history has the Federal Government imposed conditions on disaster aid for its own citizens. This is just more than unprecedented. To deny our fellow Americans the help they need after losing loved ones, their homes, and their businesses in their darkest hour because of political differences, it is not just cruel; it is immoral. It is un-American. It is not who we are as a country. It is an affront to our most basic values, one that transcends any law or policy and lives at the core of our faith. We should do to others as we would do to us. We must love our neighbor. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me and our fellow Americans in solidarity in delivering the aid that California desperately needs without political conditions. In doing so, I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and stand up for our values as a Nation. Let us send the right message to the American people that their government of the people, by the people, and for the people will always stand by them unconditionally, no matter what.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, this is my 30th Maui minute. After months of delay, three successive requests from President Biden, and unnecessary anxiety for millions of Americans courtesy of the richest man in the world, Congress will now finally send much-needed disaster recovery funding across the country. For over a year, I have led bipartisan efforts pushing to deliver this aid to Maui. We have delivered speeches in this Chamber and we have sent letters to leadership to introduce amendments that were blocked. Finally, we got this done. This disaster recovery package will provide a much-needed boost to meeting all our people's needs. The package will send over $2.1 billion in Federal disaster relief to Hawaii, including about $1.6 billion in the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Fund, or CDBG-DR, $350 million to rebuild drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and $72 million to rebuild roads and bridges. It will replenish the Small Business Administration's disaster loans program so homeowners and small businesses can continue to recover. For my Maui constituents still recovering from the deadly fires, it has been far too long of a wait, but our work will not stop here. We will use these dollars to rebuild housing and infrastructure, restore our `` `aina,'' ``land,'' and bring our Maui `` `ohana,'' ``family,'' home.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend, Commander Kevin Dore, on the successful completion of his command of the USS Daniel Inouye. Under his leadership, the USS Daniel Inouye embarked on its maiden deployment, a 9-month tour that demonstrated the strength, skill, readiness, and resilience of our Navy. Initially deployed to the Pacific, the USS Daniel Inouye's, mission was extended when tensions in the Middle East flared. Commander Dore and his crew rose to the occasion and headed to the Red Sea where they exemplified our Nation's commitment to helping others in need when they provided timely rescue assistance to Iranian mariners in distress. I wish Kevin fair winds and following seas wherever life may take him. Please know that for all he has done for our State and our country, he will always be a ``son of Hawaii,'' ``kamaaina,'' and Hawaii will always be his home. I say to Erin and the kids, John-Michael, Andrew, Lily, and Samuel, ``thank you,'' ``mahalo'' for sharing your husband and father with us and for being the rock of support he has always needed to truly go for broke.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, the last-minute effort to deny critical healthcare to military children diagnosed with gender dysphoria is a shameful attack on military families who deserve better from their elected Representatives. Our military families deserve our support for the sacrifices they make, not our intervention into their deeply personal healthcare decisions, and certainly not those involving their children. For transgender people, gender-affirming care is healthcare. To deny them this care is to deny that they exist. The reality is that they do exist, and there are thousands of military families with transgender children. There are 15,000 transgender individuals who wear the uniform. They deserve, like any child in our country, to be their true, authentic selves and to receive the care that helps them to live freely. As a mother, I cannot idly stand by and vote to deny healthcare to children who need it, nor can I stand by while my colleagues use transgender people to score cheap political points. To pass a bill dedicated to the quality of life of military families while stripping away healthcare from their children is not just ironic, but it is twisted, cruel, and plain wrong. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting against the NDAA so that we can remove this discriminatory provision and truly, truly stand with our military families.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, for millions of our fellow Americans, Thanksgiving is about returning home, a time to gather with loved ones in a place both familiar and safe. On my way back to Hawaii for the Thanksgiving recess, with long delays and packed airports and planes, it hit me for too many of our Maui ``family,'' ``ohana,'' this is but a sliver of what they have been trying to do for the past 16 months. They are just trying to go home. A week before Thanksgiving, I joined the Folaumoeloa ``family,'' ``ohana'' as they became the first family to move into the new Kilohana Temporary Group Housing Site in Lahaina. By this spring, 167 modular units will house survivors and their families. While these housing units can never replace what was lost, we hope they will soon be made homes by the people, the love, and the hopes and dreams that will fill the space between these walls. A big ``thank you,'' ``mahalo'' to FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, the State of Hawaii, Maui County, and all our contractors and community partners for their hard work and dedication. Thanks to them, families like the Folaumoeloas are moving in months ahead of schedule to a place where they can look ahead to the future and to what this community will one day be.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I share Representative LaMalfa's appreciation that last night the Senate finally unanimously passed the bipartisan Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, sending it to the President's desk. This bill includes language that I introduced over a year ago to help Maui fire victims deduct their disaster-related losses and keep money in their pockets. This bill will also exempt wildfire disaster settlement payments from being taxed. As Maui and other fire-impacted communities across the country focus on their recoveries, they deserve certainty that the financial relief they receive will go entirely to them and to their ``family,'' ``ohana.'' For months, this bill and the financial relief it provides to our Maui ``family,'' ``ohana,'' have been among my top priorities in Congress. I am proud to have been part of a majority in the House in signing a discharge petition, forcing a vote on this bill, and passing it overwhelmingly back in May, where it has remained with the Senate. I am grateful to have been part of this bipartisan effort with my friends: Congressmen Greg Steube, Doug LaMalfa, and Mike Thompson. While this has been a long journey together, I am proud we have gotten this over the finish line, and I hope President Biden will sign this bill into law as soon as possible.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in strong support of H.R. 8909. In January of this year, The Wall That Heals, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on The National Mall made its inaugural visit to the island of Hawaii. It was there in front of West Panel 18 that I met Shirley Kauhaihao, the widow and high school sweetheart of Army First Lieutenant John Kuulei Kauhaihao. She and her daughters were putting flowers and a lei in front of line 40 where his name is etched. On September 5, 1969, at the age of 27, Lieutenant Kauhaihao, or Lieutenant K, as he was affectionately called, was leading his men on a reconnaissance in force operation in Tay Ninh province when his platoon came under enemy fire. With extraordinary courage, he launched over 30 hand grenades in 15 minutes at enemy bunkers while simultaneously drawing fire on himself, so that his men could sight enemy gunners. Eventually, he ordered the withdrawal of his platoon and crawled over 100 meters of fire-swept terrain, dragging vital equipment and helping wounded soldiers to safety. While they moved to rejoin their company, Lieutenant K saw an enemy squad moving up on his platoon and quickly moved to engage. He was mortally wounded that day. It was the fourth birthday of his son, Charles. For his bravery and sacrifice, Lieutenant K was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, our Nation's second highest combat award. His fearless and selfless actions at the cost of his life reflect great honor upon himself, his family, and the ``ahupua'a'' ``land division'' of Honaunau where he was born and where he lived. Naming the post office in the community where generations of Lieutenant K's family lived and still live is more than just honoring and celebrating a fallen ``kama'aina'' ``local resident'' warrior who gave his life for our Nation. It is a tribute to an entire generation of men and women who served in Vietnam and who came back to a country that took far too long to honor their service and that is still trying to make this right. It is a reminder of the incredible sacrifices made by those who serve in uniform and the loved ones waiting at home--past, present, and future--to whom we are forever indebted and who allow us to live in freedom today. That day in Hilo, standing next to Shirley as she pointed out Lieutenant K's name on the wall to me, I couldn't help but feel like he had finally come home. Mr. Speaker, 55 years have passed since Lieutenant K's death, and his widow, children, and generations of their ``mo'opuna'' ``grandchildren'' have continued to live in service to their community, the island of Hawaii, and the State of Hawaii. Passing H.R. 8909 to designate the United States Post Office in Captain Cook, Hawaii, as the Army First Lieutenant John Kuulei Kauhaihao Post Office is a tribute to him and the legacy of service that lives on through the lives he saved and through his ``family'' ``ohana.'' Every day when Shirley heads into town or goes to volunteer at the Greenwell Botanical Gardens, she passes by that post office. I hope seeing John's name each time she drives by will make her feel like he is a little closer to home and that he will never be forgotten. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair and ranking member of the committee for their work on this bill.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 8219, the Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act. On August 8, 2023, Hawaii experienced one of its very darkest days when the town of Lahaina was consumed by the worst wildfire in modern American history. We lost 102 members of our ``family,'' ``ohana,'' and we are still searching for 2 more that are missing. I stand on the House floor today, as I have dozens of times this Congress, to advocate on behalf of those impacted by this tragedy. As we approach the 16-month anniversary of the fires, there is still so much more that needs to be done. While I will continue to fight for disaster funding and continued Federal assistance for Lahaina and all of our communities touched by disaster, every action that we take to support the rebuilding of our community helps in the healing, which is why I am so grateful that we are here today to debate my Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act. Currently of the 62 national heritage areas in the United States, none are in Hawaii. I cannot think of a better place to designate as Hawaii's first national heritage area than Lahaina. Even before the fires, community-driven efforts led by generational descendants and local leaders were focused on preserving Lahaina's rich history, tradition, and culture for future generations. My bill would be the first step in ensuring that Lahaina finally gets the recognition that she has long deserved. In consultation with State and local partners, the Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act would direct the National Park Service to study the feasibility and suitability of this designation for Lahaina. At this time, I want to thank Chairman Westerman for coming with other Members of the House Committee on Natural Resources to Lahaina literally days after the fire. I will forever be grateful for your compassion, kindness, and support that you showed all of our people. I can honestly say that during this time of grieving, it gave them much hope and helped them start toward that process of healing to have you present there, to offer words of comfort and support. I know that this bill would not be here today without your leadership and support of this initiative. Mr. Speaker, I say, ``thank you,'' ``mahalo'' to you and to all who came to our islands. I also want to thank all of my colleagues who cosponsored this bill and supported it throughout the committee process. I especially want to thank members of this committee, including Ranking Member Neguse and Congressmen LaMalfa, Case, Huffman, and Sablan as well for their support and help. It is greatly appreciated Two weeks ago, I stood inside one of the first transitional homes built by FEMA, looking out at what was once the vibrant and thriving town of Lahaina. For many who see it now, there are only cleared lots stretching from the hills to the sea. If you close your eyes, you can feel the deep pang of loss and grief. It is a pain that we all carry, softened only by the hope that comes with the very first steps towards rebuilding. In seeking to designate Lahaina a national heritage area, we are daring to look beyond what is in front of us. Beyond the devastation, there is history and culture that predates us all. There was a time when canals and waterways nourished the land, when bread, fruit, and taro flourished, and when our ``kings and queens,'' ``ali'i,'' resided and governed there. Once known as Lele, before it became Lahaina, this special place was the former capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Amid centuries of political and economic change, she has remained a gathering place for our people. As we work to rebuild Lahaina, my bill seeks to ensure that this is about not just restoring what was lost but also anchoring our future in the rich history and culture of this sacred place so that they may endure long after we are gone. With the help of this Congress, we can honor Lahaina's past, while laying the foundation for a resilient and enduring future. I humbly ask my colleagues to support H.R. 8219, the Lahaina National Heritage Area Study Act.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend Captain Joseph J. Ring, the Commander of the Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific on his retirement from the United States Navy after thirty years of service to our Nation. As Commander of Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, Captain Ring led the successful transition of the newly aligned MIDPAC team in manning, training, and maintaining all surface ships homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Thanks to Captain Ring's leadership, the U.S. Navy's Hawaii-based ships remain combat ready for sustained operations in the Inda-Pacific and around the world. Over the course of his career as a Surface Warfare Officer, Captain Ring served in four countries and operated at sea in every Combatant Command theater of operation. At sea, he served as Commander of Destroyer Squadron Three One, Commanding Officer of the USS Hopper (DDG-70), and Commanding Officer of the USS Mustin (DDG-89). Ashore, he served as Flag Aide to the Commander, Navy Region Hawaii; Warfare Systems Advisor to the Royal Australian Navy in Sydney, Australia; Director, Joint Operations Center (J31), United States Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany; and as Chief of Staff to the Director, Maritime Operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet. His many awards include the Royal Australian Navy Chief of Navy Gold Medal, Peruvian Naval Medal of Honor for Merit, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and various other personal, campaign and unit awards including the Battle ``E'' Excellence Award. He also received the title of Honorary Chief Petty Officer in recognition of his contributions to the Chief Petty Officer community and the enlisted force. On a personal note, Joe has always been the one who helps ``get me to yes.'' Service above self is a way of life for Joe, and the values we cherish in Hawaii mirrors his own. While his Navy service brought him to Hawaii, we know our islands are a place he loves and protects as his home. As Joe, Nada, and their entire family transition to a new chapter, I proudly join them in celebrating a tremendous career that will continue to inspire and motivate future generations of leaders. But even more importantly, I wish them all the best in enjoying a well-earned retirement. Joe, mahalo for all that you have done and given to our country.

Ms. TOKUDA

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, I am proud to lead my colleagues today in celebrating National Rural Health Month. With 61 million people, roughly 20 percent of the United States population, living across 97 percent of the country's landmass, delivering healthcare to every corner of America has required unique and innovative approaches and remains an ongoing challenge. As the primary growers and producers of the food, fuel, and fiber that keeps our country running, rural Americans are also quickly becoming older and more ethnically diverse, dealing with the challenges of keeping up with a world increasingly dependent on broadband activity to support all aspects of life, including healthcare delivery, can be a challenge. Since 2011, National Rural Health Day has been recognized annually on the third Thursday of November--coming up soon, on November 21--to highlight the dedication of healthcare providers and communities in addressing the healthcare needs of rural Americans. For those of us representing rural and remote parts of this country, every day is Rural Health Day, as we fight to provide access to even the most basic care services and to work to improve health outcomes and the life expectancy of our constituents. Mr. Speaker, I yield now to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Budzinski).

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann).

Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman).