U.S. House of Representatives rules restrict Member mass communications with constituents, like my regular e-newsletters, mailers outreach letters and Tele-Talk Stories, for sixty days before an election (blackout period). With Hawaii's primary election now over, and before my general election blackout period starts in a few weeks, I have a lot of catching up with you on my activities over the last two months and on current and future issues.
Summer 2022 on Capitol Hill
June and July were very full months in Congress, especially for my House Appropriations Committee as we forged our federal funding measures for upcoming Fiscal Year 2023. Here and here are my two-e-newsletters reporting back on my efforts. (Please note that during the blackout I can still send communications to you if you have signed up to receive them. Please sign up here so that I can continue to send you my e-newsletters whether or not we're in a blackout period like the one coming up shortly).
Gamechanging Legislation to Combat Climate Change, Reduce Energy and Health Care Costs and Return to Fiscal Responsibility
I returned to D.C. last Friday from my August district work period back home to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, certainly one of the most critical measures in our current 117th Congress and one of the most consequential in decades. The IRA passed the House after earlier passing the Senate, and will be signed into law by the President shortly.
The IRA is first and foremost the largest investment in combatting climate change in our history. It will also lower prescription drug and other health care as well as energy costs for our families, boost America's manufacturing capacity and create good-paying jobs in the clean energy sector, all while cutting our federal deficit.
The IRA is critical not only to our world and country, but to our Hawai’i on several fronts. I highlighted several of the provisions in this measure of special interest to our state here.
This landmark measures follows our Bipartisan Infrastructure Package (also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) which I also fought for that is itself the largest reinvestment ever in our backbone infrastructure across our country. BIP is already starting to deliver a projected $3 billion-plus to Hawai’i for our roads, airports, bridges, climate resilience projects, access to broadband and much more. Together, the IRA and the BIP/IIJA are landmark achievements for the 117th Congress and will directly benefit Hawai’i for decades to come.
PACT Act for Our Veterans
On August 10th, the President signed into law our Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. This measure, which I strongly supported through this Congress and last, fulfills our promise to care for those who have served us, especially too many who have suffered permanent health effects from exposure to toxins, whether from the burn pits of the Middle East or airborne chemicals elsewhere.
It also included an initiative which my predecessor, the late Congressman Mark Takai, championed to assure that our veterans suffering from atomic exposure get the help they deserve. More on the details of this long-overdue and fully-deserved legislation here. My office remains fully available to assist any and all of our Hawaii’s over 110,000 veterans and your families with any questions or needs as we implement the PACT Act as fast as possible.
District Outreach
While most of my work this summer has been on Capitol Hill, I continue a very full schedule back home of regular outreach to organizations and communities throughout my district. This is critical for me to get out of D.C. as well as my district office in downtown Honolulu to meet my constituents right where you live and work, understand up close what you’re addressing, and figure out how I can help. I summarized a sample six of my summer outreach activities - at US VETS/Kalaeloa, Kawamoto Nursery/Pālolo, Honolulu Satellite City Hall-partnering with U.S. Passport Agency/Ala Moana, Island Plastic Bags/Hālawa, Hawai‘i Heart Walk/Kapiolani, and Kōkua Kalihi Valley/Kalihi - in my latest monthly Congressman Ed Case Reports on ‘Olelo Public Broadcasting here. This show makes the point that my work in D.C. is only as good as my staying in touch back home.
Next Tele-Talk Story Thursday, September 1st
Speaking of which, given our continuing challenges both here and across the rest of our country and the world, it is more important than ever that I do stay in touch with you to report on my activities, listen to your concerns and input and answer your questions. To that end, I'm hosting another of my Live Tele-Talk Story Community Meetings on Thursday, September 1, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Hawai'i time. Many in my First Congressional District (Honolulu from Makapu'u to Mililani and Ko Olina) will receive a call from me at 808-650-6688 right before we start; to join please just stay on the line. If you don't get that call but want to join, go here for details on how to sign up to participate.
My mission remains to work in Congress to (1) contribute to national leadership for our country and world, (2) assure that our Hawaii’s own needs are met, and (3) assist you and yours with your own individual concerns. There is much more on my efforts and how I can help on my website at case.house.gov.
Please email me at [email protected] or call me at (808) 650-6688 with any questions or needs.
As always, I deeply appreciate your consideration and assistance as we all work toward the best way forward for our country and Hawai‘i.
