Honolulu Reporter

(Washington, D.C.) – Representative Jill Tokuda, a member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) voted to report the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to the full House.

Enacted into law annually for over sixty consecutive years, the NDAA is a critical piece of legislation that addresses the Department of Defense and national security-related programs. Representative Tokuda participated in a 14-hour markup of the NDAA that began on Wednesday morning and ended in the early hours of Thursday morning with a bipartisan vote of 58 to 1.

The House Armed Services Committee mark as reported includes Representative Tokuda’s provisions to ensure the Department of Defense has a plan to remove residual fuel from Red Hill, foster improved military relations with local communities, address failing military infrastructure in Hawaiʻi, military housing impacts, and more.

“My provisions in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act will ensure that Hawaiʻi and our unique needs are priorities for the Department of Defense going forward. Since day one, I’ve promised to be a strong voice to advocate for our needs and to foster a better relationship between the military and Hawaiʻi. We know we have a critical role to play for our country’s national security in the challenging strategic environment of the Indo-Pacific, but there is much the Department needs to do to rebuild broken trust and demonstrate its commitment to a more sustainable future that addresses local concerns from the people of Hawai‘i,” said Representative Jill Tokuda.  

Representative Tokuda’s provisions in this year’s NDAA include:

• Requiring the Department of Defense to provide a plan for the removal of residual fuel at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility and for transitioning community engagement related to Red Hill prior to the termination of the Joint Task Force Red Hill;
• Directing the Department of Defense to appoint a senior official responsible for coordinating land lease renewal negotiations and related issues with the State of Hawai‘i;
• Expressing concern with the slow pace of unexploded ordnance removal at the former Waikoloa Maneuver Area and requiring a progress update, timeline to completion, and community engagement plan;
• Requiring a feasibility study on implementing optional Native Hawaiian cultural education and training for servicemembers stationed in Hawai‘i to improve community relations and respect for local customs and traditions;
• Directing the Department of Defense to conduct a joint Housing Requirement and Market Analysis in Hawai‘i and report on impacts to Hawai‘i’s affordable housing supply and private rental market;
• Requiring the Department of Defense to report on failing military infrastructure in Hawai‘i and provide a list of priority projects in need of maintenance and repair;
• Requiring the Department of Defense to provide an updated Strategic Plan for its Combating Trafficking in Persons program with a greater focus on places with significant military populations, such as Hawai‘i;
• Authorizing $50 million for the Water Reclamation Facility Compliance Upgrade at the Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i to prevent unauthorized wastewater discharges into Kāne‘ohe Bay and ensure compliance with Federal and State laws;
• Directing the Department of Defense to reassess the missile defense of Hawai‘i and ensure that Hawai‘i is sufficiently protected from ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missile threats by potential adversaries;
• Directing the Department of the Navy to enhance workforce development initiatives at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, the largest industrial employer in Hawai‘i, and assess the integration of additive manufacturing and other technologies; and
• Ensuring that recycled and reused minerals are considered as potential sources of critical minerals such as graphite, tungsten, and magnesium that are important for essential for defense technologies.

The HASC mark of the NDAA also included other key priorities for Representative Tokuda, including a 5.2 percent pay raise for servicemembers, initiatives to tackle food and housing insecurity among servicemembers, support for childcare, extending the Department’s support for community infrastructure needs around military installations, fostering defense innovation and workforce development, and strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.

For a summary of provisions in the HASC mark of this year’s NDAA, please see here.

Original source can be found here.