Senator Schatz Named to Defense Appropriations Subcommittee

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) will serve on five key Senate Appropriations Subcommittees: Defense; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; and Legislative Branch.

“I am grateful to Chairman Cochran and Vice Chairwoman Mikulski for the opportunity to help shape the Department of Defense’s priorities, especially as it relates to the Asia-Pacific region,” said Senator Schatz.  “These are challenging times, and we operate in a difficult budget environment, but this puts me in a position to help Hawai‘i move forward.”

The list of Senator Schatz’s Appropriations Subcommittee assignments follow:

Defense
Military forces in Hawai‘i are central to the Department of Defense’s (DoD) strategic engagement in the Asia Pacific.  Defense leaders continue to face hard choices in the years ahead as they work with a smaller share of the discretionary budget to train and ready our service members, provide for military families, protect the United States from threats abroad, and invest in the capabilities needed to address emerging challenges, particularly in Asia.  The Subcommittee on Defense provides an opportunity to ensure that DoD is aligning its limited resources appropriately to support national defense needs, including protecting critical military capabilities in Hawai‘i.  In addition, the subcommittee presents an opportunity to help DoD identify opportunities to accomplish its objectives by working with partners and allies; and supporting DoD’s investments in nontraditional defense programs—such as alternative energy, climate resilience, and infectious diseases research—that will pay dividends to national defense in the future.

Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
With more than 117,000 veterans and 78,000 active duty and reserve personnel, the military has a significant relationship with Hawai‘i.  The Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs presents an opportunity to demonstrate that development of training ranges and other essential military facilities can be done in balance with local cultural and environmental needs, all while ensuring our obligation to support the veterans who have made sacrifices to our nation.

Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Hawai‘i’s representation on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee is important to sustaining past gains and continuing to address the significant education and health disparities faced by the Native Hawaiian community—given the geographical, cultural, and financial barriers that prevent Native Hawaiians from accessing existing health services.  It will also help represent the needs of rural and low-income communities as well as underserved populations living in island communities and isolated parts of the country.

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Because of Hawai‘i’s unique location and geography, the state depends on federal transportation funding to build and maintain the infrastructure it needs to grow the economy and connect its communities.  With the Department of Transportation’s help, Hawai‘i will complete the state’s first light rail project, invest in needed highway improvements, provide access to goods with port improvements, and make communities more walkable.

Legislative Branch – Ranking Member
The agencies and offices that provide for safety and functionality for those who work within and visit the United States Capitol Complex are funded in the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill.  Offices such as the United States Capitol Police and Senate Sergeant at Arms oversee and execute safety functions while agencies like the Library of Congress, Government Accountability Office, and Congressional Budget Office facilitate the work of the legislative branch and provide public access to the documents elected officials use every day to help inform decisions in their official capacity.

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