I want to spend a little bit more time driving a few points home in defense of the parts of our country that are not part of the continental United States.

This impact would have been significantly worse if it was not for the decisive action of this Committee.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts with the Committee on two critical issues: 1) Of course, the continuing impact of COVID-19 on Hawaii small businesses, and (2) The need to ensure our small businesses are fully included in…

This economic crisis has had a profound impact on our small businesses which are the lifeblood of my state.

Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact number of small businesses we lost due to the pandemic, it has been estimated that well over 1,000 businesses in Hawaii permanently closed during the pandemic.

I do want to say to Mr. Guertin and Ms. LeBoeuf, from Hawaii and the Pacific, thank you for your efforts.

Yet Hawaii agriculture has its own challenges which require Federal attention.

I ask the subcommittee to continue to enhance these programs.

mahalo for the opportunity to testify before you today on critical needs for Hawaii agriculture.

There is a vital need for new funding for a new particularly threatening invasive, coffee leaf rust.

I ask that you prioritize resources for the Navy's $21 billion SIOP plan, both the construction projects and the program management.

Yes, it does. We are in the middle of a discussion right now as to exactly where to locate the HDR-H.

The Navy has agreed to develop, quote, 'double-wall equivalency' secondary containment or remove all of the fuel from Red Hill.

I appreciate the opportunity to discuss with you our national security challenges and opportunities in my backyard of the Indo-Pacific.

It is a critical decision not just for Puerto Rico but for our country.

As an island State, Hawaii is uniquely challenged by the growing threats of climate change.

Mass transit remains our best current and especially long-term option to provide efficient and reliable transportation in our urban core.

Aloha and mahalo for the opportunity to update the committee on key transportation and infrastructure issues and needs from my home State of Hawaii.

I urge the Committee to continue to support new technologies and strategies and projects to meet this challenge.

Thank you for the opportunity to again testify before the committee.

We followed with the introduction of H.R. 7797, our Boosting Long-Term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific Act, otherwise titled the BLUE Pacific Act.

I highlighted the importance of the vast Pacific Islands region and urged this committee and Congress to pursue efforts to broaden and deepen our engagement in this critical part of the world.

I reject the increasingly popular view that federal deficits and debt no longer matter.

The current escalation in our federal debt is unsustainable over time and will increasingly harm our country across the board.

Our debt now exceeds $28 trillion, doubling in just the last decade alone.