Reps. Tokuda, Titus, McGovern Lead Letter Urging President Trump to Reverse Course on Nuclear Testing
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), and Jim McGovern (MA-02) led 24 of their House colleagues in a letter to President Trump, expressing opposition to the administration’s reported plans to resume testing of nuclear weapons for the first time since 1992. “We are alarmed and deeply concerned by your announcement that you have instructed the Department of Defense to resume testing of nuclear weapons,” the representatives wrote in the letter. “The … Continue Reading
October 28, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Meets with Air Traffic Controllers Across Hawaiʻi Amid Shutdown Strain
Hawaiʻi - Today, air traffic controllers nationwide are missing their first full paychecks due to the Republican shutdown, which entered its fifth week. As a show of support and gratitude, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda met with numerous air traffic controllers on Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island over the past two weeks and discussed the ongoing shutdown’s impacts on aviation safety and the livelihoods of federal workers. Nationwide, the workforce includes 10,800 controllers and 3,300 … Continue Reading
October 25, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Joins House Democrats Urging USDA to Protect SNAP During Republican Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) joined 214 House Democrats in calling on U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to use all available authorities, including the $5 billion SNAP contingency fund, to ensure food assistance continues for millions of Americans during the ongoing Republican shutdown. The letter from House Democrats demands that USDA act immediately to provide November SNAP benefits using the contingency reserve fund Congress specifically established for … Continue Reading
October 01, 2025
Rep. Tokuda’s Statement on Federal Government Shutdown
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) released the following statement after Republicans, who control the White House and Congress, refused to work with Democrats to keep the federal government open. “Today, hardworking people across the nation are facing the damaging effects of Republican-led chaos and dysfunction. While House Democrats have worked nonstop to prevent a government shutdown, Republicans have chosen political games over responsible governance, refusing even … Continue Reading
September 25, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Leads Hawaiʻi Congressional Delegation in Posthumous Promotions of Seven Nisei WWII Soldiers
Washington, D.C. - The Secretary of the Army posthumously promoted seven second-generation Territory of Hawaiʻi Japanese Americans, aka Nisei soldiers, and former University of Hawaiʻi Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets to the rank of second lieutenant. The promotions follow a June 26, 2024, request from the Hawaiʻi Congressional Delegation urging then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth to review the military records of the seven cadets … Continue Reading
September 19, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Votes No on Partisan House Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) released the following statement on the stopgap government spending bill, which passed the House by a vote of 217-212. “Security funding for government officials is important. But so is protecting families from losing Medicaid, keeping rural hospitals from closing, and ensuring small business owners and their employees aren’t crushed by health premiums that have more than doubled. This is about fighting for the healthcare our … Continue Reading
September 10, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Votes No on National Defense Authorization Act
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02), member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 231-196. “When the Armed Services Committee reported out this year’s NDAA, it was a strong, bipartisan bill that included real investments in housing, healthcare, and national security that I was proud to support. But for the … Continue Reading
August 15, 2025
Hirono, Tokuda Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Strengthen Social Security Program
~ The Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act aims to restore fairness in Social Security and protect the program from future cuts ~ WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, on the 90th anniversary of Social Security, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (D-HI) reintroduced the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act, legislation that would strengthen Social Security’s financial state and ensure that seniors continue to benefit from the programs they have paid … Continue Reading
August 04, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Accepting Applications for Military Service Academies
Honolulu, HI - U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) announced that her office is now accepting applications from students in Hawaiʻi’s Second Congressional District for Military Service Academies. Qualified applicants must submit their applications no later than Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 11:59 pm HST. Every year, members of Congress are given a limited number of candidates to nominate for appointment to these academies. Rep. Tokuda can only nominate a limited number of exceptional … Continue Reading
July 31, 2025
Reps. Tokuda, Nunn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen U.S.–Taiwan Defense Collaboration
Washington, D.C. — Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03) and Jill Tokuda (HI-02) today introduced the United States-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership Act, bipartisan legislation to accelerate defense technology collaboration between the United States and Taiwan in response to ongoing aggression from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar (MI-02) and Representative Ashley Hinson (IA-02) joined as original … Continue Reading
July 22, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Urges VA to Remove Former Kamehameha Schools Psychiatrist from Punchbowl Over Sex Abuse Allegations
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins requesting support for legislation allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to review and initiate disinterment proceedings for Dr. Robert McCormick Browne who is interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, commonly known as “Punchbowl Cemetery.” The request to exhume and disinter Dr. Browne from Punchbowl Cemetery came from one of Rep. Tokuda’s … Continue Reading
July 22, 2025
Reps. Tokuda, Timmons Lead Bipartisan Push to Eliminate Coffee Tariffs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02) and William Timmons (R-SC-04), co-chairs of the Congressional Coffee Caucus, led a bipartisan letter urging Ambassador Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative, to remove existing and future tariffs on coffee in order to protect American jobs and support the continued vitality of the nation’s import-dependent coffee industry. “Unlike many other goods affected by recent tariffs, coffee is not produced at a scale within the … Continue Reading
July 18, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Votes Against Cuts to Public Broadcasting, Foreign Aid
Washington, D.C. - This morning, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) voted against the $9 billion spending cut package that rescinds federal funds appropriated for public broadcasting and foreign aid. H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, passed the House by a vote of 216-213 and now heads to the President to be signed into law. “Public broadcasting serves as a lifeline for rural and underserved communities, providing essential educational content and emergency alerts in times of crisis. … Continue Reading
July 16, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Defends Hawai‘i Priorities in Markup of Annual Defense Policy Bill
Washington, D.C. — Last night, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, voted to send H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, to the full House of Representatives. If enacted into law, this NDAA would mark the 65th consecutive year in which Congress has passed this critical law for national security. The committee reported the bill as amended … Continue Reading
July 03, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Votes Against “Big Ugly Bill”
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) voted against passage of the budget reconciliation bill, which implements President Trump’s agenda to extend tax cuts to the wealthiest, while slashing Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and student aid for millions of working people. The bill passed the House by a vote of 218-214. "It's been sickening to see Republicans fast track a bill that's not just bad policy, it's reckless and selfish, and it's a betrayal to our people. This bill … Continue Reading
June 30, 2025
Reps. Tokuda, Begich Seek Fair Medicare Reimbursements for Hawaiʻi and Alaska
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02) and Nick Begich (R-AK) introduced two bills to address Medicare underpayments for rural hospitals in Hawaiʻi and Alaska: the Save our Lone Emergency Services (SOLES) Act and the Ensuring Outpatient Quality for Rural States Act. These bills seek to ensure Medicare reimbursement rates reflect the unique challenges and tremendous disparities that significantly increase healthcare delivery costs in the noncontiguous states. The … Continue Reading
June 27, 2025
Reps. Tokuda, Begich Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Reliability for Essential Air Service Passengers
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02) and Nick Begich (R-AK) introduced the Essential Air Service (EAS) Reliability Act, which would require EAS carriers to have a plan to accommodate passengers in the event of unexpected cancellations. The EAS program helps air carriers maintain scheduled service to over 100 small regional airports across the country, ensuring residents in rural and remote communities stay connected to the national air transportation system. … Continue Reading
June 12, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Demands Answers from Secretary Hegseth on Shooting Protesters
Washington, DC - Today, at the House Armed Services Committee’s Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request Hearing, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) demanded truthful answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth about the possibility of firing at protesters in Los Angeles and across the nation. "Mr. Secretary, during your confirmation hearing, you failed to deny the conclusion that you would carry out an order to shoot protesters in the legs. So let me be direct, given … Continue Reading
June 11, 2025
Reps, Tokuda, Pelosi, Takano, Simon Lead Effort Demanding Defense Secretary Rescind Decision to Rename USNS Harvey Milk
Washington, DC - U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Mark Takano (CA-39), and Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12) led 66 other Members of Congress in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanding that he rescind his order to rename the USNS Harvey Milk and reported plans to rename other vessels named after prominent civil rights leaders. The letter describes Harvey Milk’s inspirational story, … Continue Reading
June 06, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Votes in Favor of Bipartisan SUPPORT Reauthorization Act
Washington, D.C. - On Wednesday, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) voted in favor of H.R. 2483, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation that strengthens the federal response to the opioid epidemic and expands access to treatment, prevention, and recovery services, particularly in rural and underserved communities. The bill passed the House with broad bipartisan support. “In Hawaiʻi and across the country, rural communities are facing growing … Continue Reading