Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of one of my favorite Republicans and former colleague, the late Hawaii State Senator Sam Slom.

There is much to be said about the boy from Allentown, Pennsylvania, who found his way to Hawaii in the sixties and made our islands his home.

For 20 years Sam represented East Honolulu's ninth senatorial district, and for almost one-half of that time, he was the sole Republican member of the Hawaii Senate.

He read every bill and every resolution, and he defied time and space to try to attend every committee meeting and vote, earning the self- imposed nickname ``the Lone Ranger.''

I had the honor and privilege of serving alongside Sam. Yes, we disagreed on many things, but more often than not, we saw eye to eye, especially when it came to lowering costs for working families and being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.

Sam was a statesman to the very end, and given the partisan times we find ourselves in, I truly miss my friend.

Mahalo, Sam, for your service and your friendship. As the Lone Ranger, you challenged our minds and won our hearts.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I invite all of my colleagues who have ties to Maui, who have been to Maui, or who stand by our community to join me here in the well of the Chamber.

Louise Abigail was 97 and an active grandmother that lived in the Hale Mahaolu Eono independent living complex. Tony Takafua was just 7 years old and was with his mother and grandparents.

They are the youngest and the oldest victims of the wildfires; the difference in their ages spanning almost a century, yet connected by one cruel fate.

On August 8, Maui and Hawaii Island were ablaze with 11 separate fires. Spurred by 80-mile-per-hour winds, fire ripped through our town of Lahaina in just 17 minutes, tragically taking the lives of 115 people with dozens more still unaccounted for and thousands displaced and grieving.

It would be easy enough to speak of our pain and our grief; the hands I have held, the stories I have heard. I have come to know all too well what death and destruction smells and feels like and how the sadness continues to cling with you long after.

Instead, I will focus on something just as important: Hope.

When I first went back to Lahaina, the absence of color, of structure, of anything familiar is what hit me. As I returned there, including with the Speaker and other Members of the House, whom I want to thank for the support made clear by their presence, I noticed something amidst the rubble: Life.

Sprinkled throughout the burn zone, I saw one plant in particular that has survived: banana trees. They are one of the original canoe plants brought to Hawaii from Polynesia because of their ability to feed and to heal people. How fitting to see these trees come to life as we prepare for the most arduous journey ahead of us.

Our people are strong and resilient. They have a gracious grit that has both inspired me and moved me to tears in the face of this unthinkable tragedy.

They also feel justifiable anger and frustration that they are even in this situation, and we feel an overwhelming sense of urgency to provide the help, the support, and yes, the answers that they so desperately need.

This is a national disaster that will require a national whole-of- government response. Our strong support of our Maui ohana will send a clear message to every American: No matter where you live in this great country, you will not be left behind.

Mr. Speaker, we will need all of our colleagues as we set sail for what must be a better future for our people, determined by our people.

The asks we will make will not be insignificant, and the support we need will span generations, but today, I simply ask for your humanity.

Hawaii has so often shared its aloha, its people, whatever we can give, with the world. Now our people need your kokua, your help.

We have been tested, but we are not broken. We will rise again, and we will be stronger than before. I have said this once, and I will say this again: If there is anything you can always count on, it is that aloha always wins.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Congressman Case and myself, I humbly ask for a moment of silence so that we may lift up in honor our Maui ohana as they grieve, as they recover, and as they rebuild.

Mahalo.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and honor Specialist Rene J. Rodriguez of El Paso, Texas, for his courage and heroism while stationed with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks in my district.

Earlier this month, Specialist Rodriguez was awarded the Soldier's Medal, the highest individual decoration the United States Army can give for an act of valor in a noncombat event.

He received that award for defending a local woman who was being violently assaulted outside of a coffee shop in Wahiawa last October. With disregard for his own safety, Specialist Rodriguez put himself in the middle and took the brunt of the attack, giving the woman space and time to get to safety in his vehicle.

Specialist Rodriguez' actions that day represent the very best of our soldiers and the highest values of courage and sacrifice in the United States Army. We are so very proud of him and so grateful for his service and commitment to our Hawaii community.

Mr. Speaker, I am definitely out of breath. I ran here from my other hearing because this was just such an important hour that we participate in.

Patsy Takemoto Mink is the mother of Title IX. She had a vision and a dream for her daughter and for all of our children, to live a life free from the kind of discrimination she suffered as a woman of color.

Her groundbreaking advocacy and reforms have since paved the way to allow all of our children to fully participate and engage in their education, in sports, and in all other forms of learning as their true, authentic selves.

Removing discrimination and inequity on the basis of sex was personal for Congresswoman Mink. Throughout her pursuit of higher education, she faced racial discrimination, segregation, and limited opportunities simply because she was a woman.

Many of us serving here in Congress on both sides of the aisle are here because of Patsy's perseverance and courage, and I am humbled to serve in the seat that she held with such grit and such grace. Like Patsy, I see every action or inaction we take here in Congress through the lens of a mother.

While we cowardly delay action on gun legislation, I leave home each week terrified that one day an active shooter drill at my sons' school might not be a drill at all.

As we fight book bans and the perverse culture wars of the far right, I wonder how my boys will feel when they see less and less of themselves in what is represented as history, and in the books that are on the library shelves.

While we watch as bullies in Congress try to push our loved ones back into the closet through guilt and shame, I hug my babies, now teenagers, every single chance I get, and I remind them, as I have since they were little, of my unconditional love for them and my only wish for them to be whomever they seek to be.

As we fight in this Chamber, kicking and screaming against what is nothing less than a movement to use our children as a means to institutionalize racism, legitimize discrimination, and oppress marginalized people and communities of color around our country, I often sit and ask myself: What would Patsy say? What would Patsy do?

I cannot speak for this great tower of a woman, but I know in my heart that she would not stand for this kind of politicization of our children. She would stand shoulder to shoulder with all of us and say: Hell, no, not today. Not today.

Mr. Speaker, since my first day in Congress, access to quality, affordable healthcare and mental health services has been among my top priorities.

I represent one of the most rural and remote districts in the country. I have seen and heard firsthand the devastating consequences of inadequate access to care.

On Molokai, a constituent shared with me the weight and pain she felt over the loss of her daughter. The treatment and end-of-life care her daughter needed wasn't available on island, so she was forced to leave her children and family behind and tragically passed away without them by her side.

On Lana'i, a kupuna sat me down and said: ``I love living here . . . but it is a difficult place to be born and to die.'' If you need obstetric care, assisted living, or end-of-life care, you have to board a plane, most often alone.

In Wai'anae, a close friend and community leader held up a CDC report in his hand and expressed his anger and frustration that the life expectancy of residents living on the rural west side of O'ahu was a decade less than those living in downtown Honolulu.

In the small, close-knit community of Kauai, too many people have a family member or friend who took their own life. With limited access to mental health professionals and services, our Garden Isle has historically struggled with high rates of suicide and suicide attempts.

In Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii, a woman cried as she told me that her sister died because she couldn't get the emergency care she needed in time. She then asked me if I knew what the golden hour was, that critical window of time between emergency medical care and a medical trauma happening.

I told her I did. My mother missed hers. She was in a car accident, and the hospital in our community didn't have the appropriate trauma services to deal with her injuries, so she was taken to the next town, where she passed away shortly after getting to the ER.

For many of my constituents, they are just one diagnosis away from a major illness and the impossible financial and family decisions that will come with it. Yet, they live in geographically isolated areas-- their homes, where they continue to be denied their right to healthcare.

While Hawaii's geography and demographic makeup are, in fact, unique, these barriers to healthcare are similarly felt elsewhere across the country.

More than 60 million Americans, one-fifth of the United States population, live in rural areas. Compared with their urban counterparts, rural Americans are generally older and have less resources and poorer healthcare conditions.

While they may require more medical attention and care, rural Americans often have more limited access to care as a result of physician shortages, lack of reliable transportation options, insufficient health insurance coverage, and increased exposure to environmental and occupational hazards.

These disparities in healthcare access highlight the need for greater attention and resources aimed at improving healthcare and outcomes in rural and remote communities.

That is why I am proud to co-lead the Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus. Together with the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Harshbarger), we have revived this bipartisan coalition to ensure every American, no matter their ZIP Code or circumstances, has access to the care that could literally save their lives.

When it comes to my hope for rural healthcare, it comes down to the four As.

Accessibility: The distance a patient must travel by car, plane, or ferry to receive medical services;

Affordability: The cost for a patient to get the care they need;

Acceptability: The extent to which a patient receives culturally and linguistically appropriate services in healthcare; and

Availability: The extent to which providers have the requisite resources, such as personnel and technology, to meet the individual needs of patients.

In a time of such deep divisions in our country and Congress, we must find ways to come together to recognize the urgent needs of our constituents and do better for all of our people.

The Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus will look beyond the partisan gridlock of Washington to tackle the rural healthcare crisis in the United States.

From the pristine, sandy beaches of Hawaii to the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, rural Americans are asking Congress to step up and take meaningful action to save their hospitals and clinics, address health inequities, strengthen their healthcare workforce pipeline, ensure fair and adequate reimbursement for providers, and reduce healthcare costs.

For the health and well-being of all of our people, I invite my colleagues to join us in this movement to enhance access and delivery of healthcare and mental health services for rural and remote communities throughout our country.

Mr. Speaker, for 140 years, Hawaiian Telcom has been keeping the people of Hawaii connected.

Since the days of the Hawaiian Kingdom, when Archibald Scott Cleghorn, father of Princess Ka'iulani, chartered the Mutual Phone Company, loved ones and lifelines have been just a phone call away.

As an island State, the ocean often seems far too wide for me. Like the iconic commercial we all remember--which still bring tears to my eyes--of a college student getting a call from her mom, Hawaiian Telcom continues to keep us connected with our ohana, now with high-speed internet and modern communication services for the digital age.

Hawaiian Telcom and its generations of employees, past and present, have made it their mission to provide the people of Hawaii with the connectivity and digital equity they deserve. Whether it is accessing educational or workforce opportunities, stimulating our economy, promoting telehealth services, or simply connecting with family and friends, innovative communication technologies play a critical role in the rural and remote communities we live in.

To all who have contributed to Hawaiian Telcom's 140-year legacy of service to our islands, I extend my sincerest congratulations and thanks. Mahalo for all they do to keep us connected, and I look forward to our next 140 years of service together.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I don't get this whole woke reference, but I am definitely awake after what I have heard on this floor today.

During our markup, we heard repeatedly that the PRC and Russia--even today we heard it--they aren't spending their troops' time on DEI. I absolutely agree with you. They aren't.

The strongest military possible, the one we aim to be, the one we are, is a diverse, equitable, and inclusive one.

When you compare our military with those of our competitors, what is immediately striking is the diversity of our servicemembers.

Studies have long shown and demonstrated that diversity helps organizations out-innovate, outperform, out-strategize, outmaneuver others.

Our diversity is our strength. Our commitment to equality, to exclusiveness, that is what makes us Americans. It is why we have the very best military in the world.

Some House Republicans insist on peddling a false choice between DEI and readiness. Why are they so keen on emulating and becoming more like the PRC, more like Russia?

Eliminating DEI won't help our military compete more effectively with the PRC. It will, however, undermine the innovative thinking, the cultural competency, the inclusive institutional cultures, the qualitative edge, our ability to win if we need to be agile and ready and lethal.

This amendment to terminate DEI offices and personnel and all of the insidious DEI-related amendments we have had to hear and will hear tonight by my Republican colleagues aren't just harmful to our national security--they are a major threat.

It is time we set aside the political games that we are seeing and get serious about our national security and stand by our servicemen and -women of all backgrounds who have given up so much in defense of our country and to keep all of us safe.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. McClellan).

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, in closing, I just have one question to ask: What about us scares you?

My grandfather, my father-in-law, and my brother all fought and risked their lives for this country. Yet, the sacrifices made by so many who feel marginalized, our communities of color, simply pale in comparison to the hate and fear that drives this obsession with DEI.

First and foremost, we just heard that under a strong administration like the Trump administration, you would not have this. However, DEI is not new. In 2020, the Trump administration established a Defense Board and a Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion to increase diversity and ensure equitable opportunity across all ranks.

If you want to be more like China, if you want to be more like Russia, keep this up. I don't want to be like them. DEI is necessary.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chair, you know, it has been said once already on this floor, but I don't think it can be said enough. If we ever, ever needed a reason to support DEI training, you need look no further than the debates, the antics that we have seen on this floor today, the childish, yes, actions that we have heard from the other side.

In fact, from the backwards, racially insensitive comments spoken on this floor, it seems DEI training would be good right here in the Halls of Congress.

Mr. Chair, we have spent hours in markup already debating DEI, but apparently it wasn't enough. So here we are again forced to debate yet another bad amendment.

Never mind that 40 percent of our servicemembers identify as members of minority groups, or that 42 percent of servicemembers of color turn down assignments because of concerns about racism and discrimination that they have experienced.

Never mind that almost half of all servicemembers in a recent survey said they have been the subject of racial slurs or jokes in their communities.

To say that we do not need DEI is to say racism and discrimination does not exist in our military and in our society.

For the sponsor of this amendment to be proud of taking a meat cleaver to DEI flies in the face of all Americans and the diversity that we represent.

What this reckless amendment and this obsession over DEI really exposes is a callous disregard for these servicemembers and their experiences. They deserve better. America is better than this, and I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Madam Speaker, 17-year-old Richianna Deguzman was supposed to start her first job this week. Instead, she is on life support fighting for her life because of a senseless and tragic act of gun violence.

While Hawaii has some of the strongest gun safety laws, Richianna's family and friends know it is not enough. Right now they are praying for a miracle and pleading for an end to gun violence.

The sad reality is that there are thousands of Richiannas every day across this country--kids who deserve better than a Congress more beholden to the gun lobby than to protecting them.

For too long, Congress has ignored the majority of Americans who want

the killing to stop. We cannot sit idly by as Americans continue to live in fear.

Last week, I joined my colleagues in signing discharge petitions to demand House votes on several gun safety measures.

At the same time, House Republicans pushed through a measure to weaken regulations on stabilizing braces for firearms, an accessory used in several mass shootings across our country over the last decade.

Enough is enough. We demand an end to gun violence and a safer future for our ``keiki,'' ``kids.''

Madam Speaker, in 7 days, our country will face one of the greatest self-inflicted threats to national security in our lifetime.

In 7 days, our country faces default while House Republicans continue to play partisan political games with the debt limit.

In these Chambers, we talk a lot about keeping Americans safe, strategic competition, and national security.

We point a finger at foreign threats and international bad actors but let us be clear: The biggest threat to American lives and livelihoods is House Republicans holding everyday Americans hostage for partisan political gains.

If we as a Congress are serious about ensuring national security, then we must stand up against this House Republican manufactured crisis.

We must do the right thing, invest in our country, and recognize that:

Financial security is national security. Health security is national security. Food security is national security. Housing security is national security. People's security is national security.

I will not support lifting the debt ceiling on the backs of working families, our veterans, or our seniors. Know this: As Democrats, we will continue to do the right thing and put people over politics.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Keep Kupuna Fed Act.

According to the most current data from the USDA, 1 in 10 kupuna, or senior citizens, are experiencing hunger and food insecurity.

SNAP has played a critical role in preventing millions of Americans, including our kupuna, from going hungry in the face of a public health crisis, supply chain disruptions, and rising inflation.

While the historic 8.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment was welcome news to more than 65 million Social Security beneficiaries, for many kupuna, this has resulted in a net loss.

Seniors in every one of our districts across the country have lost or will lose access to SNAP entirely, while others will see a significant decrease in benefits because of this bump in Social Security.

That is why I introduced the Keep Kupuna Fed Act, which would exempt title II Social Security benefits from the SNAP program's income eligibility requirements. This ensures more kupuna stay on SNAP and don't go hungry.

I invite my colleagues to join me in helping end senior hunger and keep our kupuna fed by supporting this important measure.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Iam Tongi, a proud son of Kahuku, on winning season 21 of ``American Idol.'' A fellow child of the Windward side, a ``keiki,'' ``child'' of Ko'olauloa, Iam is the first Hawaii-born and Pacific Islander contestant to ever win ``American Idol.''

Throughout his ``American Idol'' journey, Iam captured the hearts of viewers across the country with his incredible voice and soulful tributes to his late father, Rodney.

While on the show, Iam not only showcased Hawaii's local music and

sound, but also the challenges with getting priced out of paradise. Like many ``kama aina,'' ``residents,'' Iam and his family were forced to move to the Mainland because of Hawaii's high cost of living.

I have shared this with many of my colleagues here: Our children like Iam have become our greatest exports. That is not ``pono''; that is not ``right.'' We must make Hawaii more affordable so that families like Iam's don't have to leave their home.

Iam's music, his story, and his spirit have inspired millions of Americans across this country. Hawaii is so proud of him. Wherever he goes, I hope he knows Hawaii will always be his home and his ``ohana'' ``family.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in celebration of Asian American, Native

Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

As a ``fourth generation,'' ``yonsei,'' Okinawan American, I believe this month is not only a chance to recognize our communities and their contributions, but it is also deeply personal to me as I think about the future we want to build for the next generation for our ``children,'' ``keiki.''

AANHPIs are the fastest-growing population in the United States. We are a diverse diaspora. We are in every State across the country.

While we have made great progress, we have also seen an unprecedented rise in xenophobia, discrimination, and violence nationwide, but we will not let these forces of hate hold us down.

The stories of AANHPI people in our country are of grit, perseverance, and courage. They are stories that continue today through the tireless advocacy of those fighting to defend our civil rights and our democracy and through hardworking men and women keeping the American Dream alive.

I invite my colleagues to join me in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I proudly cast my vote against the Default on America Act. This reckless debt limit proposal would force Americans to suffer pandemic-level pain once again due to brutal cuts put forth by House Republicans. If we thought the COVlD-19 pandemic was bad--impacts on life, learning, health, and economic security--the ``virus'' being unleashed on our country by this Act has potentially more dire and devastating consequences.

But there is a way forward on this issue. Pass a clean debt limit increase. To blatantly ignore Treasury Secretary Yellen's stark warnings of default back in January and three months later celebrate the passage of a bill that seeks to buy us less than a year's reprieve on the backs of hardworking American families, children, kupuna, and veterans is offensive and unacceptable.

I gave my inaugural floor speech on January 25th on the debt limit and urged House Republicans to join us in making good on our commitments to millions of Americans who've worked hard, sacrificed, and defended this country by passing a clean debt limit increase. People, families, and entire communities that rely on social security, Medicare, and other critical federal programs--they were looking to us to do the right thing.

Like my constituent from Hilo, who called every day during my first weeks in office, scared that after a lifetime of work, he'd lose the social security check he relied upon each month.

It is now April 27th, and more than 100 days after the warnings from the Treasury, the Republican Majority is only now looking to come to the table on this looming default crisis, which could come as soon as June.

Instead of cleanly raising the debt ceiling as Congressional Republicans did without preconditions on three separate occasions under President Trump, Speaker McCarthy is doubling down on holding the full faith and credit of the United States hostage and risking economic chaos and catastrophe to force draconian cuts that will endanger public safety and worsen public health, raise costs for families and students, and harm seniors and veterans.

Instead of seriously coming to negotiate, House Republicans are willing to level pandemic-level pain and suffering on everyday Americans in every community in this country.

The legislation introduced by the Speaker would lead to across-the- board cuts of at least $142 billion for critical programs. This could lead to the Veterans Health Administration providing 13 million fewer visits and veterans would have to wait longer to receive benefits. 200,000 children could lose access to Head Start slots and 100,000 children could lose access to childcare. Services such as Meals on Wheels could be cut for more than 1 million seniors, while over 1 million participants could drop from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

In Hawaii, these devastating cuts would be felt immediately by some of our most vulnerable residents. 43,000 Hawaii residents would lose food assistance.

In a State where 1 in 10 people are veterans who have served and sacrificed, there would be 38,000 fewer veteran outpatient visits. College would be more expensive and out of reach for 15,000 Hawaii students. Over 3,000 families in Hawaii would lose rental assistance and be at severe risk for or resulting in homelessness. We'd lose 1,000 Preschool and Child Care Slots in Hawaii, where we are already short tens of thousands of seats. At least four air traffic control towers in Hawaii would be shut down, which would prevent my constituents from getting to work or accessing basic services like healthcare, leaving our islands less connected.

And if Republicans don't get their way, they're threatening to default on our Nation's bills, unleashing an economic catastrophe and putting vital government services at risk. Nationwide, a default could kill more than seven million jobs, jeopardize Social Security payments for 94,000 families in my district, and put health benefits at risk for 297,000 veterans, kupuna, and keiki in Hawaii's Second Congressional District.

It's important to remember that the debt limit reflects the spending and revenue decisions debated and enacted in prior years by prior Congresses. It's about paying our nation's credit card bill, not making additional purchases on it.

The full extent of negative repercussions is unknown because the United States has never defaulted on its obligations. Economists expect the fallout to be widespread and catastrophic for the U.S. and global economy.

Congressional Republicans need to stop playing political games with our debt limit for a partisan political wish list and cleanly raise the debt limit.

Congress should focus on investing in our Nation and its people. We should be focused on decreasing child poverty and hunger, helping our kupuna on Social Security and Medicare, and increasing veteran access to services. This bill does the opposite.

My Republican colleagues may claim this proposal was the first step towards negotiating with President Biden. But the chips they were willing to gamble in this mockery of a proposal should be a warning to us all about where their priorities lie. It's not with everyday Americans or neighborhoods and communities throughout our country.

With their Default on America Act, House Republicans have shown us the moral bankruptcy of their MAGA ideology and their willingness to abandon the very people they were elected to represent.

Democrat or Republican, Blue, red, purple, and everything in between--we have the opportunity to put people above politics and not gamble with their lives and livelihood. We have less than 60 days until default. America is waiting for us to do the right thing and pass a clean debt limit increase now.

Mr. Speaker, this week, I voted against the default on America act, a reckless debt limit proposal that would force Americans to suffer through pandemic-level economic pain once again because of brutal spending cuts put forth by House Republicans.

The default on America act would buy us less than a year's reprieve from default on the backs of hardworking American families, ``keiki, kupuna,'' ``children, seniors,'' and veterans. The 22 percent across- the-board cuts for critical safety net programs would mean 13 million fewer health visits for our veterans; 300,000 children would lose Head Start slots and families' access to childcare; and 1 million seniors would get kicked off Meals on Wheels. The list goes on.

We need to put people over politics. We cannot afford to gamble with the lives and livelihoods of everyday Americans. Instead of these ``pilau,'' ``rotten,'' cuts, we should be focused on ending child hunger, keeping people housed, taking care of kupuna, and improving access to veteran services.

The Treasury says we have less than 60 days until our Nation is expected to default on our loans. America is waiting for us to do the right thing and pass a clean debt limit increase now.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hawaii-born Sasha Kekauoha, more famously known as Sasha Colby, on being crowned the winner of ``RuPaul's Drag Race'' Season 15. I am so proud that a fellow Windward girl, hailing from the homesteads of Waimanalo, has earned the title of America's Next Drag Superstar.

With her historic win, Sasha became the first person of Native Hawaiian ancestry to compete and win the competition, the fourth trans contestant to ever win Drag Race U.S., and the first American Drag Race winner to have also won the annual Miss Continental drag pageant. RuPaul herself even referred to Sasha as, ``the kind of talent that comes around once in a generation.''

Born and raised in Waimanalo, Hawaii, Sasha is the youngest of seven children and attended Kailua High School. Her drag journey began when she started taking dance classes at a local studio. Having grown up in a very religious household, Sasha spent much of her youth as a closeted trans person, living in constant fear of being found out. However, dance gave her the opportunity to be herself and meet and be with others that identified as LGBTQ+.

Through that dance studio, Sasha met her drag mom and made friends who would become her second family. Together, they showed her what life could be like living as a trans woman and helped introduce Sasha to the drag performance scene.

Sasha, a seasoned drag legend with 20 years of experience, had one of the most accomplished runs on RuPaul's Drag Race. She showed an undeniable confidence in her approach to nearly every challenge. Sasha came into the finale with the strongest track record of any of her competitors--along with never landing in the bottom in any of the show's challenges, she also racked up four challenge wins over the course of the season, more than any other queen on the show.

From the very start of the 15-week-long competition, Sasha put her vulnerabilities front and center for the world to see, often drawing upon her Native Hawaiian and Irish heritage and childhood trauma as sources of inspiration for her performances.

Throughout Drag Race, she authentically represented her Hawaiian culture both in her looks and interviews, talking about the legacy she's building for her home state and about being mahu. Mahu are ``third gender'' individuals who fulfill spiritual and social roles in traditional Hawaiian culture. Centuries ago, four large stones were placed on Waikiki Beach to honor four mahu, ``extraordinary individuals of both male and female spirit,'' who brought their healing powers to O`ahu from Tahiti. Today, trans people are still among the most revered members in the Hawaiian community.

Sasha also used her platform to share with the nation and the rest of the world the stories of Hawaii, Polynesian culture, and the trans experience in America. For example, on the show, she introduced audiences to the history of Honolulu nightclubs like The Glades Nightclub in the 1950s and 1960s. The Glades would get raided weekly by police and for ``misrepresenting'' themselves as female drag queens and trans women would have to wear a button that read, ``I'm a Boy,'' or face the possibility of being arrested and paying a hefty fine.

Seventy years later, we are seeing increasing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights that particularly target trans people and drag queens including state laws banning drag queen performances and gender affirming care. In her own words, Sasha says, ``I am literally the living embodiment of what they [state legislators] want to eradicate.'' But these anti-trans attacks have not deterred Sasha at all. She said it best during the Drag Race finale: ``This goes to every trans person, past, present and future,'' she said. ``Because we are not going anywhere.'' Sasha's win is not only well deserved; it gives us hope.

I look forward to all that Sasha will accomplish as a leader, a proud mahu, and an activist, and I know that she will continue to serve as a beacon of light and hope to so many people across the country and around the world who are afraid or unable to be fully themselves.

Congratulations to Sasha Colby. She is truly every drag queen's favorite drag queen.