Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my Promoting Regional Opportunities for Sustainable Prosperity and Economic Resilience in the Pacific Act, or PROSPER in the Pacific Act, to advance the U.S.-Pacific Islands relationship to include an economic partnership built on shared values and principles.

The Pacific Islands, spread across the vast Pacific Ocean, have a collective maritime area that exceeds the land area of Russia and China combined. These jurisdictions are key partners in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific and meeting vital security and economic challenges. It is imperative that we develop, maintain, and grow these relationships.

Recognizing this, successive administrations have committed to deepening U.S. engagement in the region, including through trade and investment. Most recently, the 2025 National Security Strategy asserts that ``the Indo-Pacific is already and will continue to be among the next century's key economic and geopolitical battlegrounds,'' reaffirms our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and prioritizes winning the economic competition over the long term in the region. Additionally, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission's 2025 Annual Report to Congress recommended that we strengthen economic assistance to Pacific Island countries to support U.S. national security interests and the priorities of partner countries.

However, our economic toolkit for achieving our goals in the Pacific Islands needs to be strengthened, Many Pacific Island countries enjoyed preferential treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) when it was authorized, but the program lapsed in 2020. Some of the Pacific Islands' top exports to the U.S., including tuna, cane sugar, ginger and taro, would be eligible for duty-free treatment under GSP but for this lapse.

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the leading multinational political organization for the Pacific Islands region, has prioritized the region's need to build trade capacity and infrastructure and has specifically advocated for preferential trade agreements given its lack of competitiveness due to its small national markets, isolation from the global market, and high cost of operating and land and labor constraints. The PIF has encouraged the U.S. to extend duty-free treatment under the GSP beyond preferences for Least Developed Beneficiary Developing Countries.

Implementing such a program would come at a low cost to the U.S. while delivering a high strategic return, especially given the People's Republic of China's (PRC) increased focus on expanding its influence in the region. My bill, PROSPER in the Pacific, would provide a visible alternative to the PRC by emphasizing economic partnership over debt- trap diplomacy, all while encouraging private-sector-led development, market-based economies, and goodwill towards the U.S.

The PROSPER in the Pacific Act would authorize the President to designate certain articles imported from eligible Pacific Island countries for duty-free treatment, extending to them the same preferential access that is afforded to least developed beneficiary developing countries under GSP. By doing so, my legislation aims to stimulate export opportunities for Pacific Island economies while encouraging U.S. businesses to source more goods from the region. In addition to expanding market access, the bill would direct the President to develop a comprehensive plan for negotiating free trade agreements with Pacific Island countries that express interest, laying the groundwork for deeper, long-term economic integration. Finally, my bill would create a dedicated trade facilitation and capacity-building program for the Pacific Islands to help partner governments strengthen customs procedures, meet U.S. product standards, and improve overall export readiness, ensuring they can fully realize the benefits of enhanced trade ties.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation to sustain and expand U.S. economic and security engagement in this critical region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me in strengthening and protecting Congress as a separate, independent and co-equal branch of our government by cosponsoring my Legislative Branch Independence Act.

My bill would amend the appointment processes for three key legislative branch positions--the Librarian of Congress, the Comptroller General and the Director of the Government Publishing Office (GPO)--to provide that appointment and removal of their leaders are the exclusive purview of Congress. These three agencies are critical to the independent operations of Congress and should not be subject to undue influence by the executive branch or any other external organization.

The Librarian of Congress is the main research arm of Congress, managing the Congressional Research Service. The Comptroller General leads the Government Accountability Office, which conducts audits and reviews government programs to provide nonpartisan oversight for Congress. The GPO prints and distributes official Congressional and federal publications.

To ensure their independence from the executive branch, there must be no question that Congress has complete authority to dictate the appointment as well as the removal of the leaders of these organizations. Thus, my proposal would remove the President from the appointment process for all these positions and change it to a commission structure. The commissions would be made up of House and Senate leadership, as well as members from the relevant Congressional committees. The House would now also have a say in the appointment process, since its appointees would have to be confirmed by the adoption of concurrent resolutions.

This bill would also codify Congress' exclusive authority to remove the Librarian of Congress and the GPO Director. Specifically, their removal would only occur by an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members of the Senate and House, and clarify that the executive branch has no role in these decisions. (This is already the case for the Comptroller General.)

I ask for my colleagues' support for this bill, which empowers Congress to control all aspects of key legislative branch agencies. As the independence of the legislative branch continues to be challenged and eroded, we must take the necessary steps to ensure our ability to function as an unimpeded co-equal branch of government.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express gratitude and support for our Nation's vibrant immigrant community on this National Immigrants Day.

Every October 28th, we recognize and celebrate the contributions of immigrants--born citizens of another country--to our United States. Our Nation stands as the country with the most immigrants in the world: over 52 million in 2024, or about 15 percent of our overall population. Throughout our history immigrants have made, and today continue to make, invaluable contributions to our country, including invigorating our economy and sharing their unique cultures to enrich the fabric of our society.

Nowhere is this truer than in my Hawaii, where so many are themselves immigrants or descended from immigrants. Hawaii is home today to 256,000 immigrants, or about 18 percent of our total population-- ranking us 8th in the Nation. Immigrants have been central to the history and culture of Hawaii for centuries, from being the backbone of our labor force in Hawaii's earlier agricultural industries in sugar and pineapple, to now making up 22 percent of our labor force and a disproportionately large share of our vital hospitality and health care industries as well as our dominant small businesses. Our distinctive multicultural identity, from ``pidgin'' to fusion foods like spam musubi, meat jun and saimin, to our distinctly local music and way of life, have been uniquely shaped by our immigrant `ohana.

Nationally, the immigrant experience then and now has strengthened our country immeasurably in equally multiple ways. In pure economic terms alone, in 2022 immigrants generated some $1.6 trillion in economic activity and contributed more than $579 billion in local, state and federal taxes, and today millions of American workers are employed at immigrant-founded and immigrant-owned companies. Immigration is and will increasingly be essential to meeting workplace demand. Our immigrant communities maintain ties to their countries of origin and thus strengthen our Nation's indispensable international bonds.

At a time when too many immigrant communities here and elsewhere are being unfairly targeted and villainized, it is more important than ever that we recognize, celebrate and extend our support to our dynamic, diverse and thriving immigrant community and thank all immigrants for your belief in and contributions to our country. Mahalo.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my ongoing support of the United Nations on this United Nations Day.

October 24, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the effective date of the United Nations Charter, the UN's founding document. Since the UN's inception in 1945, its 51 original member states have now grown to 193, and the UN remains the one place on Earth where all nations gather together, discuss common problems, resolve disputes and forge shared solutions that benefit all of humanity.

Every year, the UN and its organizations assist and protect 139 million people fleeing war, famine and persecution through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees; provide food and assistance to 123 million people in over 120 countries and territories through the World Food Programme; and keep the peace with 61,000 UN peacekeepers in eleven operations across the world. UN-led international agreements address international needs ranging from intellectual property to the high seas and beyond.

In a recent trip to Mongolia to review the UN's wide-ranging efforts, my Congressional colleagues and I witnessed firsthand how U.S. participation in the UN both delivers lasting positive impacts to populations around the world and supports our national interests. For Mongolia, a country sandwiched between two of our geopolitical competitors, Russia and the People's Republic of China (PRC), support from the UN together with other multilateral and bilateral relationships is critical to addressing its economic, educational, health, environmental, social, cultural and security needs. This in turn enables Mongolia to pursue a mutually beneficial ``third neighbor'' relationship with other nations including our own.

It is alarming that, just as the world faces almost overwhelming challenges, from geopolitical to economic, humanitarian, developmental, health, weather and beyond, the current administration has made numerous decisions that have led to massive UN budget cuts, crippling the UN's overall efforts. While critics of the UN may claim that this is saving the U.S. money, this will only end up costing more in the long run as instability festers around the world in the absence of UN programming that feeds children and monitors intense conflicts, such as between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti's gang violence. It also leaves a vacuum of influence that bad actors are all too eager to fill with their goal of supplanting the international rules-based order under which both the U.S. and world have enjoyed three generations of relative peace and advancement.

On this 80th UN Day, let us remember that U.S. engagement in the UN is both a moral obligation to our world and a critical component of our country's long-term economic and national security strategy. Working together with UN member states, we can reduce international instability and create the conditions for transformational change that will expand the benefits of the last three generations into future generations.

To our UN `ohana (family) around the world, wherever they are, past, present and future, I hope they know that, especially in these difficult times for an indispensable organization in which we all believe deeply, their steadfast commitment to their mission and a broader purpose is deeply appreciated and valued.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say aloha and congratulations to the newest cohort of Teach For America (TFA) Hawaii.

TFA, a critical national nonprofit partner since 1989 in our effort to eliminate educational inequality, continues its mission to ``enlist, develop, and mobilize as many as possible of our Nation's most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational excellence.'' By recruiting and training college graduates to teach in high-need schools for at least two years, it aims to expand educational opportunities for all.

This school year, TFA Hawaii marks its 20th year of service to the State of Hawaii by welcoming 103 corps members to classrooms across our islands. In total, the TFA network in Hawaii now has 631 corps members and alumni, collectively improving the lives of over 18,000 students.

I especially commend the program's focus on locally-rooted leadership. TFA Hawaii has recruited 259 corps members and alumni who are kama`aina, born and raised in our islands, including 89 Kanaka Maoli. They embody the sense of kuleana and community responsibility necessary to provide critical education support for our keiki.

The impacts of our TFA Hawaii kumu--or teachers--have lasted far beyond their initial commitment, with over 500 alumni remaining in education across Hawaii, 15 of them now serving as school leaders.

Their mission reminds us of the `olelo no`eau ``hahai no ka ua i ka ulula'au.'': the rain follows the forest. By intentionally investing in this forest of local talent, we ensure a bright future for all our students.

I offer my mahalo to the new corps members and alumni for their continued service.

Mr. Speaker, as we commemorate Hawaiian History Month this September, I want to again express the pride and appreciation of my Hawaii in the unique history, culture and contributions of the Native Hawaiian people.

Because of Hawaii's geographic distance from the continental United States and the general lack of education nationally about Hawaiian history, many Americans remain unaware that there are over 700,000 now who identify in whole or in part as Native Hawaiian. Roughly half continue to reside in their homeland of Hawaii, and I am deeply humbled to join my Hawaii Congressional delegation colleagues in our kuleana (responsibility) to represent them and their `ohana (family) everywhere in Congress.

The Native Hawaiians, also known as Kanaka Maoli, trace their origins to the extraordinary voyages from their ancestral homeland of Kahiki-- today's Tahiti and Marquesas--hundreds of years before the arrival of other recognized Pacific peoples in their homelands. By the time of first Western contact with Captain Cook in 1778, Native Hawaiians had developed a complete and vibrant culture with their own language, religion, values and sophisticated systems of governance, agriculture and navigation.

Yet, like so many other indigenous peoples, post-contact Native Hawaiians endured marginalization, suppression and loss of their traditions in their own homelands. While estimates vary, it is believed that there were more than 300,000 Native Hawaiians prior to the arrival of Captain Cook, but by 1920, that number had fallen to just under 24,000, on the verge of losing bedrock cultural practices such as hula, traditional chanting called oli and the Hawaiian language itself due to mass population loss and laws preventing the teaching of Hawaiian.

But beginning in the 1960s-70s, a cultural renaissance took hold. Kumu hula (master teachers in the art of hula) like George Na`ope, who founded the Merrie Monarch Festival, worked tirelessly to preserve and revive ancient hula traditions. Language advocates like Larry Kimura launched `Aha Punana Leo preschools to nurture a new generation of `Olelo Hawaii (Hawaiian language) speakers. The Polynesian Voyaging Society, through the construction and voyages of the Hokule`a, reawakened the ancient art of navigation and connected Native Hawaiians with their voyaging ancestors.

Today, Native Hawaiians continue to embody resilience and leadership. Their revival across all enriches not only Hawaii but also the entire Nation, offering a living example of perseverance, identity and contribution. We see this in the half-century now of traditional navigation of Nainoa Thompson, the first Hawaiian master navigator in 600 years, the music and cultural leadership of Keali`i Reichel and Kumu Hula Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, the athletic achievements of Max Holloway and Akebono Taro, and the groundbreaking scientific work of Dr. Isabella Abbott, the world's foremost expert on Pacific marine algae.

As we mark Hawaiian History Month. let us honor the Native Hawaiian people, recognize their unique history and culture, and recommit ourselves to ensuring that this heritage remains a living, thriving part of our shared American story.

Mr. Speaker, as the Member of Congress with the most Filipino Americans of any Congressional district nationwide (nearly 200,000), I have been honored since 2019 to co-lead an annual resolution recognizing October as Filipino American History Month. I have joined many colleagues in doing so once again to recognize and celebrate the great contributions of Filipino Americans to our country, in government and law, music and entertainment, sports, business and countless other ventures.

The first recorded arrival of Filipinos in the continental United States took place on October 18, 1587, when the ``Luzones Indios'' came ashore from the Manila-built galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza in Morro Bay, California. This was followed by the first permanent Filipino settlement in the United States in St. Malo, Louisiana in 1763.

Since those early beginnings, our Filipino American community has grown to nearly 5 million people and is the third largest Asian American and Pacific Islander group in the United States. Many of the early Filipino immigrants were young men who came to the United States, most to Hawaii, California, Washington, and Alaska, seeking a better life.

This first generation of Filipino immigrants are commonly referred to as the ``Manong generation'' (Ilocano for first-born male). They worked mostly physically demanding jobs in tough conditions for very little pay. Over the years, they fought against discrimination, found a way forward, became respected members of their communities and made a better future for themselves and their future generations. Several generations have thrived upon that foundation.

The history of the Fil-Am community in Hawaii is particularly rich and echoes the national story. In 1906, the first fifteen Sakada contract laborers arrived in Honolulu from the Philippines aboard the SS Doric, marking the first sustained immigration into our country and the humble beginnings of Fil-Ams in Hawaii. By 1919, more than 29,000 Filipinos had traveled to Hawaii to take labor contracts. These first immigrants, those that followed and the subsequent generations eventually became trailblazers in politics and government, the military, business and entrepreneurship, journalism, popular culture, music and the arts and more.

Our resolution honors the tremendous and increasing contribution of Filipino Americans to our country in all areas including music, dance, literature, education, health care, business, literature, journalism, sports, fashion, politics, government, science, technology, the fine arts and other fields. I include in the Record the names and accomplishments of Filipino Americans, again from my Hawaii:

Domingo Los Banos was Hawaii's first Filipino American

school principal and a loyal veteran of the 1st Filipino

Infantry Regiment that fought in the Philippines during World

War II.

Carolina Dizon Wong broke a glass ceiling when she obtained

an M.D. degree and became the first Filipino American to

start a medical practice in Hawaii in 1952.

Peter Aduja became the first Filipino American elected to

public office in the United States when he was elected to the

Hawaii Territorial House of Representatives in 1954.

Larry Ramos became to first Filipino and Asian-American to

win a Grammy Award playing the banjo for the New Christy

Minstrels in 1963.

Benjamin Menor became the first Filipino American to serve

in a state's highest judiciary office as a Justice of the

Hawaii State Supreme Court in 1974.

In 1978 Alfred Laureta became the first Filipino American

to serve as a federal judge, serving in the federal court of

the Northern Mariana Islands.

Ines Cayaban was the first Filipino American graduate of

the School of Public Health, Nursing and Social Work at the

University of Hawaii. She received the prestigious Jefferson

Award in 1986 for her service.

In 1994, Ben Cayetano was elected the Governor of Hawaii,

becoming the first Filipino American governor of a state in

our union.

In 2019, Roy Macaraeg became the first Filipino American to

become a general officer in the history of Hawaii's citizen

soldier ranks.

In Hawaii, we also regularly honor the over 250,000 Filipinos nationwide who answered the call to protect and defend America and the Philippines in the Pacific theater. In 2016, President Obama signed into law the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act to bestow Congress's highest honor upon those veterans. With my colleagues in the House, I have introduced our Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act, which seeks to reunite World War II Filipino soldiers with their children, so that we can honor those living in our community who fought to protect the free and open Indo-Pacific that we have today.

Each and all these lives of achievement are but a small sampling of a broader community that has achieved so much and contributed so much to the rich fabric of our country. And the story of Filipino Americans is still in its early chapters.

It is fully appropriate that we again honor our Filipino American community whose story is a quintessentially American story.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commemorate the 25th anniversary of the State Partnership Program (SPP) between the Hawaii National Guard and the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Philippines.

The SPP pairs state and territorial National Guard units with partner nations worldwide. It helps build enduring, mutually beneficial relationships to enhance security cooperation, advance U.S. interests and improve partner nations' military readiness.

The SPP partnership between the Hawaii National Guard and the Philippines, initiated in 2000, was one of the earliest in the Indo- Pacific under this program, and it remains the longest-standing such partnership in the region. Over the past quarter century, the partnership between Hawaii's citizen soldiers and airmen and their Philippine counterparts has steadily progressed, encompassing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, joint training exercises, strategic planning and multilateral regional engagement.

The 25th anniversary of this agreement showcases an important and long-lasting commitment to mutual security, shared values and an enduring friendship between our two democratic nations.

This great SPP's success lies in its foundation of trust, mutual respect and cultural understanding. Hawaii's geographic location and strong cultural and historical ties to the Philippines have made our state an ideal bridge between our two militaries. This special relationship has not only strengthened defense readiness but also developed personal connections that enrich both our communities.

I would also like to acknowledge the role of our partners in Guam, who have joined this trilateral cooperation in recent years. Their collaboration strengthens the regional fabric of security and partnership.

On this 25th anniversary, I wish to recognize all those who have contributed to this partnership's success. The enduring engagement between the Hawaii National Guard and the Philippine armed forces has advanced the strategic goals of a free and open Indo-Pacific and strengthened the bonds between our two great nations.

Let us honor this important milestone not just as a celebration of the past but also as a reaffirmation of our shared future. I look forward to many more years of partnership and shared commitment to peace and prosperity between America and the Philippines under our SPP.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the PARTNER Act, introduced by Congressman Castro of Texas, and cosponsored by myself and seven of our colleagues who

are particularly invested in advancing our country's relationships with crucial international organizations.

This bill extends diplomatic privileges and immunities to five multilateral organizations. I am grateful that Congressman Castro included a section from my Pacific Partnership Act, which extends diplomatic privileges and immunities to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the region's premier multilateral organization with eighteen members across Oceania, in the hopes that the PIF will establish a mission to the U.S.

Scattered across the three traditional Pacific subregions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia are over two dozen jurisdictions collectively known as the Pacific Islands, including twelve independent states, countries in free association and territories. Though small in land area and population, the land plus maritime exclusive economic zones of all these jurisdictions combined exceed the land areas of China and Russia combined, comprising a significant part of the vast Pacific Ocean and our Earth's surface.

The Pacific Islands region remains critical to our national security interests in the Indo-Pacific and advises greater U.S. engagement to advance our shared interests and values, particularly in the context of growing geopolitical competition and threats by our shared adversaries to endanger the pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation to sustain and expand U.S. engagement in this critical region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleague Congressman Jim Moylan of Guam, in highlighting the urgent need to modernize U.S. maritime policy through our Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act, which we have introduced to realign federal incentives in our domestic shipping industry away from adversaries, such as the People's Republic of China (PRC), and toward our trusted allies with proven mainline capacity, such as Japan and South Korea.

Our measure directly responds to the real-world consequences of gaping loopholes in the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, better known as the Jones Act, which restricts domestic shipping including routes between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii to vessels that are U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged, U.S.-owned and U.S.-crewed. The rationale for this ancient and outdated restriction has always been argued as national security, to maintain a strong U.S. shipbuilding industry and merchant fleet capable of supporting the military in times of conflict.

But today that argument, if it has any merit at all, is being dangerously undermined, and not by our adversaries, but by the very companies benefiting from the monopolistic protections of the Jones Act.

Specifically, Jones Act loopholes allow for supposedly minor parts fabrication and supposedly minor repairs to be conducted in foreign shipyards using foreign workers with no condition or restriction as to country. But these are not minor parts but whole sections, and not minor repairs but full retrofits. And the preferred source of this fabrication and these repairs in the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Jones Act vessels such as the Daniel K. Inouye, Kaimana Hila and Manukai have undergone major structural conversions, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) engine retrofits, at PRC-based shipyards like COSCO's Nantong facility, which has known ties to the Chinese government and military-industrial complex. These modifications are frequently reclassified as mere ``major modifications'' to avoid triggering the 50 percent U.S. import duty intended to disincentivize foreign work. But AIS data, company filings, U.S. Coast Guard correspondence and even photographs confirm that these are anything but routine.

This poses a significant and immediate national security concern. First, by enabling vessels critical to U.S. domestic supply chains to undergo major upgrades in foreign-controlled shipyards of adversaries, we introduce unnecessary strategic risk. These ships support domestic commerce, but they also arguably constitute the backbone of sealift capacity that would be required during any military mobilization. Second, the continued outsourcing of vessel modification and construction undermines the U.S. shipbuilding and repair base, leaving us with fewer than 100 Jones Act--compliant vessels in active service nationwide, many of which are aging or specialized. And third, it sends U.S. dollars, jobs and technological investments directly into the hands of a strategic competitor identified by out National Defense Strategy as the most significant long-term challenge to U.S. interests.

Nowhere are the consequences of this policy failure more acute or more strategically dangerous than in my home state of Hawaii. Located in the middle of the Indo-Pacific, Hawaii is not just a remote island economy dependent on maritime commerce. It is the linchpin of U.S. power projection and force posture across the Indo-Pacific. Any disruption to Hawaii's shipping system is not only an economic risk to our residents but a direct vulnerability in America's strategic readiness.

Moreover, while Jones Act supporters continue to claim the law protects U.S. jobs, the evidence says otherwise. According to the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, maritime employment in the U.S. shipbuilding and repair sector has declined by 15 percent over the past 23 years. This steady erosion is not due to foreign competition alone, but to deliberate business decisions by Jones Act carriers who choose to take advantage of legal loopholes that let them outsource high-value work overseas while still reaping the benefits of domestic protectionism.

Despite these clear defects in the law, Hawaii and other islands and noncontiguous parts of our country remain a fully captive market, with no viable alternatives to a Jones Act duopoly that prioritizes profit over preparedness. We see no meaningful return on this federal maritime policy. The economic burden of this broken system, including inflated shipping costs driven by duopoly protections and foreign outsourcing, is borne daily by Hawaii's families and businesses. We have previously introduced three separate measures to address these specific consequences.

The overall answer for our country to this national security risk is not to force any and all fabrication, repair and operation exclusively into our country since that just compounds a problem we can't effectively fix. It is instead to cease rewarding our adversaries and start incentivizing our international friends and allies to assist us with our domestic merchant marine and related defense sealift needs.

Our Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act addresses these problems through a targeted, security-conscious realignment of incentives. Specifically, the bill exempts the current 50 percent import duty on major vessel modifications only if the work is performed in shipyards located in allied or partner countries, such as Japan and South Korea-- nations with world-class maritime industries and deep national security alignment with the United States. It allows ships constructed in those allied countries to qualify for the U.S. domestic (coastwise) trade under a limited Jones Act exemption, thereby expanding access to modern, secure and cost-effective vessels without subsidizing adversarial economies. Finally, the legislation establishes a regulated pathway for foreign-built, foreign-crewed vessels operated by companies from allied nations to participate in the U.S. coastwise trade under clearly defined national security safeguards.

This legislation does not repeal or abandon the Jones Act. It restores the law to its intended purpose--to serve as a foundation for national resilience, industrial strength and strategic security, rather than being hijacked by the hypocritical umbrella of national defense at the expense of increased costs of consumer goods across the country. It recognizes that modern maritime commerce is global, but that global alignment must be rooted in trust, shared values and common defense. By partnering with our allies and closing loopholes that empower our adversaries, this bill protects the U.S. supply chain, reduces security vulnerabilities and ensures that the Jones Act serves our people, our economy, and our military, not just corporate bottom lines.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to continue defending a system that fails to defend us. The Merchant Marine Allies Partnership Act is a bipartisan, commonsense step toward maritime policy that reflects 21st- century challenges and opportunities. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and update our maritime policy to modern world reality.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my Pacific Partnership Act, co-introduced with Congresswoman Radewagen of American Samoa and cosponsored by 21 of our colleagues. A companion version of our bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Cortez Masto of Nevada and Senator Ernst of Iowa.

Scattered across the three traditional Pacific subregions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia are over two dozen jurisdictions collectively known as the Pacific Islands, including twelve independent states, countries in free association and territories. Though small in land area and population, the land plus maritime exclusive economic zones of all these jurisdictions combined exceed the land areas of China and Russia combined, comprising a significant part of the vast Pacific Ocean and our Earth's surface.

The Pacific Islands region remains critical to our national security interests in the Indo-Pacific and advises greater U.S. engagement to advance our shared interests and values, particularly in the context of growing geopolitical competition and threats by our shared adversaries to endanger the pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

To bolster U.S. engagement with this region, we have reintroduced our Pacific Partnership Act, which passed the House unanimously in the 118th Congress. Our bill supports the tenets of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the guiding framework of the Pacific Islands Forum, the region's premier multilateral organization with eighteen members across Oceania.

Specifically, this bipartisan, bicameral bill would require the President to develop and submit to Congress a Strategy for Pacific Partnership, extend diplomatic privileges and immunities to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in the hopes that the PIF will establish a mission to the U.S., direct the President to consult and coordinate with allies and partners in the Pacific Islands region and update certain reports regarding transnational crime affecting the Pacific Islands.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation to sustain and expand U.S. engagement in this critical region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my Boosting Long- Term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific (BLUE Pacific) Act, cosponsored by 14 of my colleagues.

Scattered across the three traditional Pacific subregions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia are over two dozen jurisdictions collectively known as the Pacific Islands, including twelve independent states, countries in free association and territories. Though small in land area and population, the land plus maritime exclusive economic zones of all these jurisdictions combined exceed the land areas of China and Russia combined, comprising a significant part of the vast Pacific Ocean and our Earth's surface.

In 2019, a number of us came together to create the Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus, the first such group of Members of Congress dedicated to this dynamic and diverse part of the world. We believe that the Pacific Islands region remains critical to our national security interests in the Indo-Pacific which advises greater U.S. engagement with this region to advance our shared interests and values, particularly in the context of growing geopolitical competition and threats by our shared adversaries to endanger the pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Over the last three Congresses, we have introduced versions of the BLUE Pacific Act, which would advance a comprehensive, long-term U.S. strategy in the Pacific Islands region. Much of the previous versions of the BLUE Pacific Act has been enacted or implemented as a result of our efforts in previous Congresses, but key provisions remain and are included in this version, in addition to provisions from other bipartisan U.S.-Pacific Islands bills introduced in the 118th Congress, including the Pacific Partnership Act and the Engage the Pacific Act. It also adds provisions that incorporate various developments in the Pacific Islands over the last few years, including goals and needs articulated by the Pacific Islands themselves that are in line with U.S. interests.

The current version of the BLUE Pacific Act expands U.S. diplomatic and development presence in the Pacific Islands by recommending that the administration increase the number of staff working on Pacific Islands issues and in the region, authorizing the Secretaries of State and Commerce to hire locally employed staff in the region, establishing a workforce development program, codifying a media program and more.

It increases U.S. security assistance to address regional maritime security, transnational crime and law enforcement issues by authorizing the Secretary of State to provide assistance to build the capacity of civilian and national security institutions in the region and expanding existing reports on transnational crime on the Pacific Islands.

The bill deepens bilateral and multilateral trade between the U.S. and the Pacific Islands by authorizing a trade capacity building initiative, authorizing the U.S. Trade Representative to work to expand and diversify trade and directing the Secretary of Commerce to allocate additionally Foreign Commercial Service Officers to the region.

Further, the BLUE Pacific Act supports regional economic and social development by providing assistance in multiple sectors such as public health, education, infrastructure, environmental resilience, digital connectivity, disaster mitigation and more.

Finally, the bill promotes shared values like freedom of the press, gender equality and freedom of religion, including by establishing an interagency committee on engagement with civil society organizations in the Pacific Islands and authorizing the President to provide assistance to promote freedom of the press.

These initiatives support the significant strides we have made in recent years towards fully reengaging the Pacific Islands region across a range of common values and interests and in response to specific Pacific Islands' needs. The United States must make clear to the region that we are a partner they can trust and rely upon in the long term.

For these reasons, I ask that you support our bill. Mahalo.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NATIVE) Act Amendments.

This bill is the House companion to S. 612, introduced by Senators Lisa Murkowski, Chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and Brian Schatz, Vice Chairman of the Committee. The bill makes important technical corrections to the NATIVE Act to authorize grants to Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, Native Alaskans and Native Hawaiian organizations for recreational travel and tourism activities.

In 2016, Congress enacted the NATIVE Act to provide grants, loans and technical assistance to Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, Native Alaskans and Native Hawaiian organizations to assist in developing tourism in indigenous peoples' communities and enhancing opportunities for visitors to learn about indigenous peoples' history, cultures, traditional foods, languages and arts. Unfortunately, the act did not clearly authorize the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) or the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations (ONHR) to issue the grants, which led to implementation challenges.

Our bill corrects this issue by clearly authorizing the BIA and ONHR, along with several other federal agencies, to issue these grants and authorize appropriations for the program. The bill will enable improved access to federal resources, helping these communities build sustainable tourism infrastructure and expand cultural tourism. In turn, it will create jobs and boost economic development in rural and underserved areas.

This bill is especially important for my home state of Hawaii, where the link between tourism and our indigenous people, Native Hawaiians, is essential. Native Hawaiian culture is at the heart of our islands' uniqueness and one of the major draws for those who visit our state.

The past generations have witnessed a great renaissance of the Hawaiian language and culture, and in turn over the ensuing years Native Hawaiian practitioners and culture have become an increasingly visible and central part of our visitor industry. We in Hawaii are committed to fostering this sector of our economy in a way that encourages long-term cultural preservation efforts.

Through improving the implementation of the NATIVE Act, which has helped both Native Hawaiian Organizations and local Native Hawaiian businesses, our federal government will do a better job preserving and promoting Native Hawaiian culture. We can help connect tourists with the rich indigenous heritage of Hawaii though community-based visitor experiences that protect cultural sites, promote education and create jobs.

By enacting the NATIVE Act Amendments, what we have achieved in Hawaii can grow and be replicated nationwide. I urge my colleagues to join with us to support this critical initiative to empower native communities, enhance the tourism sector and create lasting economic opportunities.

Mahalo.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to a critical and escalating threat to our environment and economy, invasive species, and to ask for support of my proposed Invasive Species Response Act.

Invasive species jeopardize the delicate balance of our ecosystems, as they can outcompete, prey on or introduce diseases to our native flora and fauna. The consequences of these disruptions are severe, leading to declines in biodiversity, diminishing the resilience of our ecosystems in the face of environmental change.

Beyond ecological damage, invasive species impose billions in economic costs each year. They harm agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism by reducing crop yields, damaging forests, disrupting marine ecosystems and degrading natural landscapes that communities and industries rely on.

In Hawaii, this threat is especially urgent. Hawaii's isolation has led to the evolution of many endemic species that are found nowhere else on Earth. Unfortunately, these native species often lack the defenses to compete with or resist the pressures of invasive plants and animals, which can rapidly alter ecosystems and displace local species. In Hawaii, invasive species have caused significant ecological damage, threatening the survival of native birds and plants. Protecting Hawaii's unique biodiversity is not just an environmental necessity; it is a cultural imperative that reflects the identity and heritage of the Hawaiian people.

Invasive species are also not just a localized problem; they pose a significant threat to the integrity of our natural world. Addressing this crisis requires a coordinated and comprehensive approach, focusing on prevention, early detection and effective management strategies to safeguard our vulnerable ecosystems.

In response to this urgent need, I am jointly introducing the Invasive Species Response Act with my colleague, Congressman Jim Moylan of Guam. This legislation will codify the existing Invasive Species Strike Teams program currently operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). These specialized teams play an essential role in managing emerging invasive species, employing strategies tailored to local conditions across the National Wildlife Refuge System. With 21 teams strategically positioned in various FWS regions, they are on the front lines, addressing the unique challenges posed by invasive species.

The Invasive Species Response Act signifies a transformative shift within the FWS, moving us from a reactive, species-by-species approach to a more strategic, system-wide framework for managing emerging invasive species. Key provisions of the bill include formally establishing the Invasive Species Strike Teams program, which will create a stable and legally supported framework to ensure consistent funding and enhance our management efforts. The act also mandates enhanced coordination and reporting through integrated systems and standardized procedures, ensuring transparency and enabling us to track progress with annual reports to Congress and the public. Furthermore, it authorizes $15 million annually from Fiscal Year 2025 through 2029, aligning with current FWS investment levels to support ongoing initiatives.

This legislation is a crucial step forward in protecting our natural resources and enhancing our capacity to respond swiftly to the threats posed by invasive species.

I urge my colleagues to lend their support to our Invasive Species Response Act. Together, we can ensure the preservation of our ecosystems and promote a resilient future for our environment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my Energy Transitions Initiative Authorization Act to expand resilient and reliable energy for some of our nation's most vulnerable regions-- isolated and Tribal communities.

Isolated and Tribal communities often share common energy obstacles, such as limited energy infrastructure, high costs of imported energy and vulnerability to natural disasters. For example, in my home state of Hawaii, which ranks as the state with the most expensive power in the Nation, residential electricity rates average 34 cents per kilowatt, far exceeding the national average by threefold. We are not alone in this problem. For example, in Maine the cost of electricity hovers at 22 cents per kilowatt, coming in at 13 percent higher than the national average, in part due to its many islands and isolated communities.

My colleagues and I representing these communities intimately understand the challenges that isolated and Tribal communities face and are working to address them. In Hawaii, our state leaders launched a clean energy initiative in 2008 to aim to use 100 percent renewable electricity to power our entire state by 2045. We focused on clean energy, which we can self-sustain, and recognizing that good portions of our energy come from overseas and potentially adversarial countries, green energy can also help us advance national security interests. As for my role in this effort, I have focused on supporting federal programs that help advance these goals.

These unique energy resilience challenges in remote and Tribal areas are the focus of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Program. Since its inception, this program has partnered with over 25 Tribal, coastal, remote and island communities across the Nation to help them secure reliable and affordable energy.

The Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Program provides customized technical and financial assistance to community projects aimed at accessing reliable and affordable power and increasing energy resilience. Specific community projects include solar power interconnection, analyzing wind energy potential, conducting wildfire preparedness, advancing weatherization retrofits and implementing microgrids and battery storage projects.

The draw of this program is that it doesn't come in and dictate how communities reach their clean energy goals. It is a partnership program that values and appreciates the perspective of local and Tribal communities, actively listening and incorporating community feedback.

In Hawaii, the Energy Transitions Initiative has provided technical assistance to the City and County of Honolulu to conduct microgrid location analyses for regional hybrid microgrids and map designs. Because Hawaii is prone to severe weather conditions that have previously caused long-duration power outages, our islands have identified hybrid microgrids as one method to improve resilience. Microgrids are best suited to areas

prone to prolonged outages during weather events, with clusters of customers and potential availability of renewable energy sources. The product of this partnership was a map identifying potential locations given a set of criteria that stakeholders prioritized in the areas of criticality, vulnerability and societal impact.

This program helps far more than just Hawaii. For example, it helps the Aquinnah and Chilmark Tribes in Massachusetts transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2040 through retrofits, microgrids and efficiency measures, and Bainbridge Island in Washington analyze the solar and water power options with a goal of transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy by 2040.

Although this program has helped so many across our great Nation, it has never been formally codified. Our bill, the Energy Transitions Initiative Authorization Act, will ensure this program can continue the technical assistance offered to remote, island and Tribal communities that is unique and accommodating to their expertise and deep knowledge of local challenges and solutions.

The bill will authorize $31 million for each fiscal year from 2026 to 2030 to carry out the bill's objectives. No later than 1 year after the establishment of the bill, the Comptroller General will conduct an audit of the initiative to ensure proper use of the funds. The audit will also result in a report with recommendations to improve the program, which is important because evaluating and improving the initiative is paramount for its continued progress.

I believe the Energy Transitions Initiative Authorization Act can further clean energy advancements in our most vulnerable communities. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill and our isolated and Tribal areas across our Nation.

Mahalo.