Rep. Tokuda Reintroduces Bill to Stop Illegal Campaign Coordination
Washington, DC - On Thursday, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) reintroduced the Stop Illegal Campaign Coordination Act to tackle the influence of dark money in federal elections and help restore Americans’ trust in their democracy. Federal law prohibits campaigns from coordinating their messaging and communications with outside groups like super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporate and special interests. Yet campaigns have skirted these laws … Continue Reading
March 27, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Recognized as One of the Most Effective Lawmakers in the 118th Congress
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) has been recognized as one of the most effective lawmakers of the 118th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL), earning a Legislative Effectiveness Score (LES) that places her among the top ten most effective Democratic lawmakers in a Republican-controlled House. She was the only Democratic freshman to be recognized. The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is a joint research, education, and outreach initiative between … Continue Reading
March 26, 2025
Reps. Jill Tokuda and Nikema Williams Lead Colleagues in Demanding President Trump Cease Attacks on the U.S. Institute of Peace
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02) and Nikema Williams (GA-05) led 20 members of Congress in demanding that President Trump halt his administration’s ongoing attacks on the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), including the unlawful firing of the USIP Board, trespass onto USIP property, and efforts to shut down the independent organization completely. On Friday, March 14, 2025, the Trump administration tried to unlawfully fire USIP’s board, even though Congress … Continue Reading
March 25, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Leads Colleagues in Urgent Request to Reinstate Terminated Agricultural Inspectors
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) announced she led 32 of her colleagues in a letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to urgently re-hire terminated Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) agricultural inspectors. Since February, USDA has terminated at least 5,692 probationary employees, including a reported 200 workers in the plant protection and quarantine program of APHIS. Court orders to reinstate employees have not immediately gone … Continue Reading
March 25, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Issues Statement on U.S. Department of Labor's Incremental Funding for Maui
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor announced an incremental award of $2.5 million to continue employment and training services for those impacted by the Maui wildfires: "I am happy to announce that $2.5 million in incremental funding through the National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG) has been released for Hawaiʻi to further support workers and communities impacted by the Maui wildfires. While this … Continue Reading
March 20, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Releases Statement on Trump Gutting the U.S. Dept. of Education
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to begin dismantling the U.S. Dept. of Education: “Gutting the U.S. Department of Education is one of the most personal, egregious cuts, especially as a parent, that President Trump can make. He has already bullied employees into retirement or fired them, and by returning the DOE back to the State, he is robbing keiki of the quality education … Continue Reading
March 20, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Joins House Democrats Urging Administration to Protect Social Security Phone Service
Washington, DC -Yesterday, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) joined 61 House Democrats in a letter sent to the Social Security Administration (SSA) expressing deep concerns over their plan to eliminate or reduce telephone services for beneficiaries. Yesterday, SSA announced an overly burdensome change to seniors lacking transportation options and broadband connectivity, especially those living in rural and remote parts of the country. Beginning March 31, new and existing recipients who … Continue Reading
March 15, 2025
REVISED: INCLUDES NEW LOCATION FOR MAUI TOWN HALL: Rep. Tokuda to Hold Town Halls in Every County of Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi - Next week, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) will begin a series of town halls in every county of Hawaiʻi. Over the past 4 weeks, Rep. Tokuda has held a telephone town hall, as well as town halls in Pāhoa and Wahiawā. Rep. Tokuda will address concerns about the Trump Administration’s actions, discuss policies affecting Hawaiʻi, and answer questions from community members. Her staff will also be on site to offer assistance to people having issues with federal agencies. For … Continue Reading
March 12, 2025
Rep. Tokuda to Hold Town Halls in Every County of Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi - Next week, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) will begin a series of town halls in every county of Hawaiʻi. Over the past 4 weeks, Rep. Tokuda has held town halls in Pāhoa and Wahiawā. Additionally, Rep. Tokuda will be holding a telephone town hall tomorrow, March 13, at 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Those who are interested in joining are encouraged to RSVP to be added to the list of phone numbers that are automatically called at the start of the event. If participants are not contacted, … Continue Reading
March 12, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Issues Statement on USDA Cancellation of Local Food Grant Funding Programs
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) issued the following statement after the USDA announced that it was eliminating two local food purchasing programs that provided schools and food banks over $1 billion in funding to buy food directly from local farmers and producers: “The Trump Administration is literally stealing food from the mouths of our keiki. The USDA local food grant funding program has helped to feed hungry children in Hawaiʻi and has supported local … Continue Reading
March 11, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Votes Against Funding Defense Contractors While Cutting Veterans' Healthcare
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) issued the following statement after voting no on the House funding bill: “The bill we passed today is absolutely misleading and deceptive. It is the height of hypocrisy to increase military funding and pad the pockets of defense contractors, while slashing veterans' benefits by $23 billion, and it is ludicrous to cut over $700 million from housing, while the cost of living continues to skyrocket. This CR steals food off the … Continue Reading
March 06, 2025
Tokuda Leads Colleagues in Opposing Proposed Cuts to HUD Disaster Recovery Office
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02) led 47 of her colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to reconsider proposed cuts to its Office of Community Planning and Development, which administers the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. The New York Times recently reported plans by the Trump Administration to cut staffing levels at this office by 84 percent, from 936 employees to 150. Besides … Continue Reading
March 06, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Issues Statement on Censuring of Congressman Al Green
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) issued the following statement after the House voted 224-198 to censure Rep. Al Green (TX-09), over his protest on the House floor during President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress: “Today, I voted against the censuring of Congressman Al Green. Dissent is a vital part of our democracy. Congressman Al Green is doing his job, the same job that all Members of Congress were elected to do—to voice the concerns of their … Continue Reading
March 04, 2025
Rep. Tokuda to Hold Statewide Telephone Town Hall
(Hawaiʻi) - U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) will be holding a statewide telephone town hall on Thursday, March 13, 2025, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm HST. Rep. Tokuda will answer questions from participants live over the phone, address concerns about the Trump Administration's illegal and unconstitutional acts, and discuss her actions to help federal workers, programs, and services that are being inhumanely impacted. Those who are interested in joining are encouraged to RSVP to be added to … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Leads Letter in Calling for Reduced Rent for Maui Fire Survivors in FEMA Housing Program
Washington, DC —Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) led the Hawai‘i congressional delegation in requesting FEMA Region 9 to waive the collection of fair-market value rent from survivors of the Maui fires participating in FEMA’s Direct Housing program. Currently, survivors are expected to receive their first rental bill on March 1 and have until March 11, 2025, to appeal the decision on the rental amount. Rep. Tokuda and the Hawai‘i congressional delegation’s letter calls for a … Continue Reading
February 25, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Collecting Stories From Those Impacted by Trump and DOGE Actions
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) launched a new initiative to hear directly from community members about how they have been harmed by the actions of the Trump Administration and DOGE. “From firing our federal workers without cause, threatening to cut funding for essential lifeline programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and inciting fear and panic in everyday Americans concerned for their well-being, we know that these recent actions from the Trump Administration and … Continue Reading
February 11, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Announces Town Halls on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island
Hawaiʻi - Next week, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) will hold town halls in Wahiawā on Oʻahu and Pāhoa on Hawaiʻi Island. Rep. Tokuda will cover what's going on in Congress and policies affecting Hawaiʻi, and answer questions and concerns from community members. Her staff will also be on site to offer assistance with federal issues. For more information regarding Rep. Tokuda's town halls, please visit the Events section on her website at tokuda.house.gov. Wahiawā THURSDAY, FEBRUARY … Continue Reading
February 10, 2025
Rep. Tokuda Leads Democratic Colleagues to Uncover Critical Details About Federal “Deferred Resignation” Scam
Washington, D.C. - In an effort to understand the gravity of the sweeping effects of losing tens of thousands of federal employees, today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02), along with U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer (MD-05), led 48 of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to the Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management requesting a full breakdown of workers who have accepted the “deferred resignation” offer. Recent reports have suggested that more than 20,000 … Continue Reading
January 28, 2025
Hirono, Tokuda Condemn Trump’s Federal Funding Freeze
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (D-HI) released the following statement condemning President Donald Trump’s federal funding freeze: “Eight days into his dictatorship, President Trump has mandated a federal funding freeze that will cost Hawaii hundreds of millions in federal support. Even a ‘temporary’ freeze will create a lapse in funding for disaster relief efforts in Lahaina, as well as crucial programs like Medicaid; Head … Continue Reading
January 26, 2025
Full House Passes Rep. Tokuda’s Bill to Fight Rapid Ohia Death
Washington, DC - On Thursday, the full House of Representatives passed, by a vote of 359-62, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda’s (HI-02) bill to fight the spread of Rapid Ohia Death (ROD) and help restore native forests in Hawaiʻi. The bill, which was also passed last September, now heads to the Senate for consideration, where U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) introduced companion legislation. The Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025 enables federal agencies - including the U.S. … Continue Reading