Funding Transportation & Infrastructure
Infrastructure is the foundation that connects our nation’s businesses, communities and people. Our nation’s public infrastructure system not only ensures the continuous transportation of people, goods, and services, but it also protects the health, safety, and welfare of the public. However, the infrastructure systems we rely on today are failing to keep pace with current and expanding needs. Simultaneously, investment in infrastructure is faltering. Given the tight fiscal constraints facing the nation today, it is necessary that we begin looking for new and collaborative ways to meet our need for improved and updated infrastructure.
Supporting the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST)
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, 27% of Hawaiʻi’s major roads are in poor condition, costing local drivers $483 million per year. At the end of 2015, Congress came together to pass the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, a bill Tulsi strongly supported. The FAST Act reauthorized critical funding for highway, bridge, transportation safety, and public transit projects in the U.S. through 2020, including more than $1.3 billion in federal transportation funds for Hawaiʻi. We must build on this progress by ensuring our federal government continues to make much-needed investments in infrastructure in our communities across the country.
Helping Keep Air Travel Affordable
As an island state, we are uniquely reliant on air travel. Air transportation is an essential lifeline for people in Hawaiʻi looking to find a job, start a small business, see a doctor, visit family and friends, and so much more. Tulsi has continued to fight to keep air travel taxes and fees as low as possible for people in Hawaiʻi and introduced the Passenger Fee Restructuring Exemptions Act (H.R.1074) at the start of the 114th Congress. This bill would limit the passenger security fee for Hawaiʻi, Alaska, and rural populations that rely on air travel.
More on Funding Transportation & Infrastructure
Thousands of U.S. veterans descended on Cannon Ball, North Dakota this weekend, determined to defend protesters opposing the construction of the final leg of the Dakota Access pipeline. Among them was U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), a major in the Hawaii Army National Guard. The Congresswoman landed in Bismarck at 10 p.m. on Friday night, ready to help resist if the North Dakota National Guard was in fact, as rumored, deployed to clear out the camp.
Something happening some 3,000 miles away on the mainland usually wouldn’t attract too much attention from our state’s legislative leaders.
But the Dakota Access Pipeline project is drawing looks from the Aloha State, and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard took a strong stand against it on Thursday.
She is right.
HONOLULU – Gov. David Y. Ige and the United States Customs and Border Protection announced the re-establishment of a Federal Inspection Service (FIS) facility at the Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA). The inaugural international flight from Kona to Tokyo, Japan is scheduled to depart on Dec. 20, 2016. The flight from Tokyo to Kona is scheduled to arrive at the Kona International Airport on Dec. 21, 2016.
Washington, DC—Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) released the following statement after voting to pass the bipartisan Continuing Resolution (CR) and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to fund the government, combat the Zika virus and help the people of Flint, Michigan with their water crisis:
On Wednesday night, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Hawaiʻi State House Representative Andria Tupola hosted a Town Hall meeting in Nanakuli to address long-standing transportation issues that affect residents of the Waianae Coast every single day. Farrington Highway is the only way in and out of the community, and time and time again, it has been partially or completely shut down due to accidents, severe weather, flooding, fires, and other emergency conditions.