Senate Passes National Defense Bill, Includes Schatz Provisions To Study, Report On Health Impacts Of Red Hill Leak, Protect Hawai‘i Shipyard Workforce, Authorize $1.6 Billion For Infrastructure Projects

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today passed the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included several provisions authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). The bill included bipartisan legislation led by Schatz and U.S. Representative Ed Case (D-Hawai‘i) to collect data, study, report on, and better understand the health impacts for those exposed to water contamination from the Red Hill fuel leak. The Schatz-Case provision is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (D-Hawai‘i).

“People who were exposed to toxic fuel from this leak should know what kind of impact that might have on their long-term health and what kind of additional federal help they can get,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. “This study will give doctors, public health experts, and those affected by the leak a better understanding of what that kind of exposure can do to someone’s health.”

Other Schatz-led provisions in the NDAA include measures to protect Hawai‘i’s shipyard workforce as a part of the crucial Australia – United Kingdom – United States (AUKUS) submarine partnership, authorize $1.6 billion in infrastructure projects, and create a new presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed diplomatic post to the Pacific Islands Forum. The NDAA now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senator Schatz continued, “These provisions will help strengthen our national security, support our servicemembers, and promote greater engagement with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific.”

The Schatz-secured provisions include:

• Studying health impacts from Red Hill fuel leak – legislation to collect data, study, and help better understand the health impacts of those exposed to water contamination from the Red Hill fuel leak and to conduct critical oversight of the Department of Defense as it conducts this study.
• $1.6 billion for water and port infrastructure projects, including:
• $20 million for a new water storage tank at Aliamanu Military Reservation
• $23 million for a clearwell to store filtered water and booster pump Fort Shafter
• $33 million to improve wells, water storage tanks, a water pump station at Helemano Military Reservation
• $37 million for a water distribution line, water storage tanks, and a water pump station at Schofield Barracks
• $134 million at Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i to upgrade and improve MCBH’s Water Reclamation Facility
• $5.4 million to improve an air traffic control tower at Wheeler Army Airfield
• $1.3 billion to enable the construction of Dry Dock 5
• $15 million to improve the waste water treatment plant at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

• Protecting Hawai‘i’s shipyard workforce –  a provision to develop and increase the submarine industrial base workforce by allowing the DoD to reinvest funds secured from the transfer of submarines to Australia under the historic AUKUS partnership in recruiting, training, and retaining key specialized labor at shipyards in Hawai‘i and across the country.
• Investing in facilities and infrastructure to support submarine repairs – a provision that allows DoD to reinvest funds secured from the transfer of submarines to Australia under the historic AUKUS partnership to upgrade facilities, equipment, and infrastructure used by shipyard workforces in Hawai‘i and across the country to repair and maintain submarines.
• Elevating diplomatic post to engage with Pacific Island nations – a provision elevating the Special Envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum to a Senate-confirmed position.
• Fighting child sexual exploitation – a measure requiring the DoD to report on progress in their efforts to enhance the capability of military criminal investigation organizations to prevent and combat child sexual exploitation.
• Expanding access to family and medical leave for veterans working as federal employees – a provision to allow federal employees who have served in the armed forces eligibility to take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Leave, including paid parental leave, sooner.

Other highlights for Hawai‘i include provisions to upgrade the electrical grid at Kalaeloa; study the housing needs of military families and the impact on housing supply in the surrounding communities; and create a new coordinator to engage with communities and the state, as negotiations on land leases begin. 

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