Schatz Secures Nearly $32 Million In New Earmark Funding For Hawai‘i In Second Half Of Appropriations Deal

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate passed the second half of a bipartisan government funding bill which includes $31.8 million in new congressionally directed spending, also known as earmarks, secured by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. The new funding follows nearly $400 million in earmark funding for Hawai‘i secured by Schatz in the first half of the appropriations deal signed into law earlier this month.

“With nearly $32 million in new earmark funding, we are bringing home a total of $427 million in new earmark funding this year,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “For many of these non-profits, this earmark funding is a lifeline and will give them the resources to help more people and continue to serve their local communities.”

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Schatz worked with congressional leaders to ensure Hawai‘i received its fair share of federal earmark funding. The package now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

EARMARKS SECURED BY SENATOR SCHATZ INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

Lana‘i Kina‘ole – $1.1 million

The funding will be used to construct an adult day care center on Lana‘i. 

The Arc of Hilo (Hawai‘i Island) – $297,000

The funding be used to support the expansion of a school-to-work transition program for youth with special needs. 

Kaua‘i Planning and Action Alliance – $200,000

The funding will help launch a youth suicide initiative and improve mental health outcomes for young people. (Schatz and Hirono joint request)

Hana Health (Maui) – $1.4 million

The funding will help support the expansion of the health center to include exam rooms, dental operatory, lab, and reception. (Schatz, Hirono, and Tokuda joint request)

Hospice of Hilo (Hawai‘i Island) –A $1.2 million

The earmark funding will help upgrade HVAC system at Pohai Malama Care Center.

Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce – $435,000

The funding will create a three-month training program for small businesses. The curriculum will support entrepreneurs in forming a business plan, brand identity development, and marketing.

Kahuku Medical Center – $812,000

The funding will help build a clinic for dental, behavioral, and women’s health care services. 

Wahiawa Center for Community Health – $1.5 million

The funding will be used to purchase a school-based mobile health care van and dental equipment.

West Hawai‘i Region of the Hawai‘i Health Systems (Hawai‘i Island) –  $2.5 million

The funding will be used to help Kona Community Hospital and Kohala Hospital upgrade and transition to new electronic health record systems. (Schatz and Hirono joint request)

Pali Momi Foundation – $500,000

The funding will be used to purchase an x-ray machine and complete facility upgrades in the emergency department.

Leeward Community College – $175,000

The funding will be used to enhance courses and provide an apprenticeship program for students training to become special educators. 

Maui Economic Opportunity (Lana‘i, Moloka‘i, Maui) – $105,000

The funding will be used to create an apprenticeship program for individuals interested in a career in early childhood care and education. (Schatz and Hirono joint request) 

Re-Use Hawai‘i – $500,000

The funding will help train workers to tear down, rehabilitate, and reuse building materials.

Adventist Health Castle – $700,000

The funding will be used to upgrade air handling systems for the hospital and medical office building. (Schatz and Hirono joint request)

American Red Cross of Hawai‘i – $50,000 

The funding will be used to provide preparedness trainings in rural communities across the state.

Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center – $550,000

The funding will be used to support homeless populations through a mobile medical unit and to increase staffing capacity at the Center.

YMCA of Honolulu – $864,000

The funding will support a statewide mental health wellness program for youth. (Schatz and Hirono joint request)

Hale Kipa – $521,000

The funding will be used to support at-risk justice-involved youth, and provide behavioral health, education, and child welfare services.

Hawai‘i Children’s Action Network – $150,000

The funding will be used to support an intensive leadership and civic engagement program for parents and community members throughout the state. 

Pacific Survivor Center – $75,000

The funding will be used to expand and adapt resiliency trainings to provide multilingual and culturally-appropriate resources. 

The Spirit Horse Ranch (Maui) – $541,000

The funding will be used to support equine therapy programming for youth who are victims of trauma on Maui.

The Queen’s Health System – $300,000

The funding will be used to help develop a training program for digital health navigators who will help kupuna use telehealth and remote patient monitoring in their homes.

Sounding Joy Music Therapy – $125,000

The funding will be used to help provide music therapy services to people with disabilities. 

YMCA of Honolulu – $388,000

The funding will be used to support a kupuna wellness program, including an expanded Meals on Wheels program and transportation at seven locations throughout the City and County of Honolulu. (Schatz and Hirono joint request) 

Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum – $500,000

The funding will be used to support the transition of Hawai‘i ALIVE to an online curriculum website providing teachers with access to free curricular units. (Schatz and Hirono joint request) 

Blueprint for Change – $1.1 million

The funding will help expand family resource centers with a focus on Title I schools designated as Comprehensive Support and Improvement Schools. (Schatz and Hirono joint request)

Carden Academy of Maui – $184,000

The funding will be used to help develop a collaborative work space for making, learning, and exploring. (Schatz and Hirono joint request) 

Friends of the Future (Hawai‘i Island) – $235,000

The funding will help implement school-based wellness programs, professional development, and youth mentorships for 19 schools in the West Hawai‘i Complex Area. (Schatz, Hirono joint request) 

Hawai‘i Pacific University – $1.8 million

The funding will be used to develop a Physician Assistant program. (Schatz and Hirono joint request)

Hawai‘i Agriculture Foundation – $949,000

The funding will help create an Ag-Tech education program in Hawai‘i’s public schools. (Schatz and Hirono joint request) 

Hawai‘i Literacy – $252,000

The funding will help provide literacy programs targeted to under-resourced communities disproportionately impacted by high illiteracy. 

Hawai‘i Teach for America – $174,000

The funding will help support a fellowship designed to accelerate learning and foster belonging. (Schatz and Hirono joint request) 

Imua Family Services (Maui) – $91,000

The funding will help support an outdoor inclusion preschool. 

Maui Academy of Performing Arts – $375,000

The funding will be used to expand access to arts education for local students, provide pathways to creative economy careers, and retain existing creative economy jobs. 

Pacific Historic Parks – $341,000

The funding will be used to support the design of a new K-12 interactive education project on World War II-era prisoners of war at the Honouliuli National Historic Site.

Project Vision Hawai‘i – $300,000

The funding will be used to expand hearing screening in Hawai‘i public schools.

Washington Middle School – $380,000

The funding will help create innovative learning opportunities in sustainable agriculture, applied science, technology, engineering, math, entrepreneurial thinking, integrated arts, social studies, English language learning, and digital communication.

Chaminade University of Honolulu – $1.5 million

The funding will be used to build capacity of the prison education program, expanding to include incarcerated women and a Bachelor of Arts track.

University of Hawai‘i – $900,000

The funding will be used to help renovate the John A. Burns School of Medicine lecture hall. (Schatz and Hirono joint request)

Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency – $1.4 million

The funding will support installation of a generator to increase the resiliency of the Pali Momi Medical Center and will increase capacity to host evacuated patients from across the state. (Schatz and Case joint request)

Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce – $818,000

The funding will support the creation of a small business hub on Kaua‘i, bringing together eight entrepreneur development organizations. Services will include mentorship, business plan assistance, financial management education, and facilities.

University of Hawai‘i – $1.5 million

This funding will support a high-tech center for small businesses at UH Manoa. The center will have shared facilities and advanced equipment to support early-stage small tech companies. (Schatz and Hirono joint request)

Maui Economic Development Board – $1.8 million

The funding will create a small business accelerator to leverage federal space and science investments on Maui to create and grow local small businesses in the sector. The accelerator will provide specialized equipment, mentoring, and business assistance services. (Schatz and Hirono joint request)

‘Olelo Community Media – $600,000

The funding will support the digitization and archival of newspaper, photo, and audio records. The records will be publicly available at the Hawai‘i State Archives.

Honolulu Police Department – $1.5 million

The funding will be used to replace the emergency power system at the Honolulu Police Department's Alapa‘i Headquarters, which also serves as the Department Operations Center (DOC) during catastrophic events, threats, or occurrences of natural or man-made destructive or emergency events.

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