Congresswoman Hirono Announces FY2009 Appropriations
Hirono Secures $26.6 Million for Hawai’i Disaster Assistance And National Defense
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai’i) today announced the passage of the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2009 (H.R. 2638) and the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2009 (S. 3001).
Between these two major pieces of legislation, Congresswoman Hirono has secured $24,240,000 in federal funding for programs in Hawai’i’s 2nd Congressional District.
“These projects help protect our people, our environment, and our troops, and also enhance opportunities for high technology companies in Hawaii,” said Hirono.
The appropriations legislation (H.R. 2638) includes the final versions of three FY2009 appropriations bills: Homeland Security, Defense, and Military Construction/Veterans Affairs. In addition, the bill provides continued funding at fiscal year 2008 levels for all other federal programs through March 6, 2009. It also calls for $22.9 billion for disaster relief and $7.5 billion to support a $25 billion loan to domestic automobile manufacturers to develop and produce advanced vehicle energy efficient technologies.
The bill passed the House 370 ayes to 58 nays.
One important provision of the bill is the inclusion of $198 million for a “Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund” in the Veterans Affairs Department for payments to Filipinos who served in the U.S. Army in the Philippines during World War II. This fund represents a small down payment on the promise our country made to these brave soldiers.
The National Defense Authorization Act passed by a vote of 392 ayes to 39 nays. One notable feature of this bill is a 3.9 percent increase in soldiers’ pay (compared with the Bush administration proposal of 3.4 percent).
Another provision of great importance to Hawaii is the inclusion of language (Section 316) directing the Secretary of Defense to:
“…establish a comprehensive program to control and, to the extent practicable, eradicate the brown tree snake population from military facilities in Guam and to ensure that military activities, including the transport of civilian and military personnel and equipment to and from Guam, do not contribute to the spread of brown tree snakes.”
Congresswoman Hirono requested funding for the following Hawaii priorities that were included in the FY2009 appropriations bill:
Homeland Security Appropriations
· $400,000 in FEMA Predisaster Mitigation funds for a disaster shelter in Ocean View on the Big Island.
Defense Appropriations
· $4 million to continue funding for research, development, and improvement of technology to search for munitions dumped into the ocean offshore around the island of Oahu following World War II. This builds on $5.5 million secured by Congresswoman Hirono for this purpose, last year.
· $840,000 for Brown Tree Snake Control and Interdiction by the U.S. Navy on Guam (the bill also includes $400,000 for U.S. Air Force brown tree snake interdiction efforts on Guam).
· $1 million for research on detection and classification of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in volcanic soil. Hawaii’s soils present difficulties in detection of UXO due to the presence of magnetic anomalies in volcanic soils.
· $4.8 million to expedite research and development of a new generation of sensor technologies for Improvised Explosive Device (IED) standoff detection and forensic tracing. This research will help to protect our soldiers from the deadly threat of IEDs. The research is being conducted by the University of Hawaii in cooperation with Florida A&M and Arkansas State University.
· $1.6 million to support development, testing, and evaluation of ballistic missile intercept technology for the Maui Space Surveillance System.
· $1 million to further development of a high quality night vision sensor by a Hawaii company to greatly improve sight in extreme low light situations. This technology has great potential for commercial applications.
· $1.6 million in continued funding for development in Hawaii of better protective paints, coatings, cable lubricants, and other materials for the U.S. Navy fleet through the incorporation of nanotechnology.
· $4 million for development and testing of technology to enhance the advantage of our troops through mobile sensor technology and training at Kaneohe Marine Base.
· $5 million in continued funding for deployment and operation of a series of multifunctional microsatellites. The University of Hawaii, in conjunction with government and industry partners, will explore state-of-the-art technologies designed to provide a low-cost, rapidly deployable small satellite launch activity.
Congresswoman Hirono also hopes to get Hawaii-related funding in the remaining nine appropriations bills that are being temporarily funded through a continuing resolution through March 9, 2006. It is expected that the 111th Congress will finalize the balance of these bills early in the year.
END
###
