Hirono Secures Hawaii Priorities in Defense Authorization, Military Construction & VA Funding Bill

Statement

Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs Committees, today voted in support of both the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (VA) Appropriations Act. The Military Construction and VA Appropriations Act includes important provisions for Hawaii including funding for $444 million in Hawaii military construction projects, an increase in funding for veterans' health care, and a provision authored by Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) and Senator Hirono to protect benefits for Filipino World War II veterans.

"Hawaii's key role in the Asia-Pacific continues to be reflected in the NDAA and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act," said Senator Hirono. "The bills passed by the Senate today are the product of bipartisan compromise. The Military Construction and VA bill includes over $444 million in Hawaii projects and supports critical facility improvements and earned benefits for military families and our veterans. The NDAA provides the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces the resources, equipment, and training necessary to complete their missions."

Approval of the NDAA and Military Construction and VA Appropriations Act was made possible after Congress reached a bipartisan compromise that lifted harmful sequester caps on both military and domestic spending. Senator Hirono was a strong voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee for revising the NDAA after Republicans sought to use a budget gimmick to sidestep the budget caps for defense without corresponding efforts to raise funding levels for important non-defense priorities like law enforcement, education, medical research, transportation and community development, and others.

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