On the Issues

Education is the great equalizer. We should be investing more into our children's future. Every family should have access to high quality early education, great public schools, and affordable college. I have used my seat on the Committee on Education and Labor to advocate for major reform to the flawed No Child Left Behind law, and to increase Pell Grants and loan forgiveness for college students and graduates. I introduced the PRE-K Act to provide increased federal funds for high quality preschool, and am working with Congressional leaders to get it signed into law.

Hawaii's economy depends on its small businesses, which provide the bulk of employment in our state. This is why I sought and received an appointment to the Small Business Committee. I strongly support increased federal investment in infrastructure, including our roads, mass transit, sewer and wastewater facilities.

I strongly oppose the War in Iraq but support operations in Afghanistan. Our nation was misled into war by the Bush Administration, with devastating consequences for our international standing; our economy; our ability to invest in domestic priorities like education, healthcare and the environment; the families of the soldiers who have died or been severely wounded and for the Iraqi people. We need to set a firm timetable for withdrawal within a one-year timeframe so that the Iraqi government will make the political steps needed for national reconciliation.

I support protecting and strengthening the environmental laws that have sheltered our wilderness, endangered species and ecosystems and the quality of our air and water. I oppose drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as well as in other environmentally sensitive areas. I support increased funding for our National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges as well as funding to help states like Hawaii protect natural areas for the benefit of future generations.

I am committed to helping our nation towards energy independence. We must strengthen our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil. By employing new technology, we can lower energy costs and have greater efficiency. We must shift to cleaner energy to reduce global warming. Hawaii has significant potential for clean, alternative energy sources including solar, wind and ocean energy. I support increased investment in renewable energy technology and strongly support requiring that we mandate that renewables become an increasing share of our energy source.

• Need to invest in nation's infrastructure: Our nation's aging and outmoded infrastructure is crumbling. Congestion on our highways and streets has a significant economic cost, as well as a personal cost to those who waste hours of their lives stuck in traffic. High energy costs and the need to stay internationally competitive make it all the more essential that we find better ways to move people and goods in our country. Mass transit, whether by bus or rail, is part of the answer to this problem.

• Coverage: Health care is a right - not a privilege. It is appalling that 44 million people in America - the richest country in the world - do not have health insurance. Every family deserves access to high quality health care. We should focus first and foremost on covering children by expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). We are working in Congress to expand health insurance to an additional 10 million children, but thus far President Bush has vetoed each of our bills.
  

Agriculture is essential to Hawaii's economy and quality of life. Hawaii's farmers and ranchers provide us with locally grown food; produce fresh and value-added products for export (flowers, macadamia nuts, coffee, sugar, etc); good jobs; and enhance our quality of life by providing open space. Aquaculture is becoming an increasingly important industry, with Hawaii as a technological leader in open-ocean water cage aquaculture and technologies utilizing deep ocean water.

Today, out of the 250,000 Filipino World War II veterans, only 18,000 are left. Of that number some 2,000 reside in my home state of Hawaii. As Filipino veterans are entering the sunset years of their lives, Congress is running out of time to fulfill our obligations to them.