Schatz: $1B delivered to Hawaiʻi in 2025 to support Maui’s recovery, upgrade health centers, expand internet

In 2025, US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) worked to protect Hawai‘i from significant cuts to federal funding and helped secure more than $1 billion for Hawai‘i to support Maui’s ongoing recovery, expand high-speed internet, and improve airports and infrastructure.

“This year, we delivered more than $1 billion to Hawai‘i, including funding to support Maui’s ongoing recovery, help upgrade airports and health centers, and expand high-speed internet. My top priority always is making sure Hawai‘i gets its fair share of federal dollars, and together with the delegation and state and local leaders, we’re going to continue working to lower costs and support families and communities across the state,” said Schatz.

Funding highlights include:

• Nearly $31 million to expand high-speed internet statewide. The federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021 will be used to build out and improve broadband infrastructure statewide.
• Nearly $9.8 million to support the ongoing recovery effort on Maui following the devastating fires. The funding, which Schatz helped secure, will help the community of Lahaina rebuild the Waiola Church, Hale Aloha Museum, the Old Lahaina Courthouse Building, and the Master’s Reading Room.
• More than $70 million for Kona International Airport. The federal funding for Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole, the largest airport on Hawai‘i Island and the state’s second international entry point, will be used to help complete KOA’s ongoing runway rehabilitation project.
• $1 million for the Lānaʻi Community Health Center. The funding will support the Lānaʻi Community Health Center, a nonprofit and federally qualified health center serving the island of Lānaʻi, to purchase equipment.
• More than $140 million for the Red Hill Water Treatment Plant. The funding will help build a water treatment facility provides a drinking water treatment facility at the Red Hill water supply shaft and ensures that treated water continues to meet all Federal and State drinking water standards.
• More than $50 million for Līhuʻe Airport. The funding will help improve takeoff and taxiway operations at LIH by increasing the Runway Safety Area. 
• Nearly $2 million to protect Hawai‘i-grown coffee. The funding will support the research and programs needed to stop coffee leaf rust, a devasting disease caused by a rust fungus.
• More than $553 million to replace Dry Dock 3 at Pearl Harbor.  The funding will support the construction of the new Dry Dock 5 to replace the existing Dry Dock 3. Dry Dock 5 will be able to accommodate maintenance and sustainment work on Virginia class submarines and the Next Generation Attack Submarine (SSNX), ensuring that Hawai‘i’s public shipyard workforce will be able to support Navy’s submarine fleet for years to come.

This year, Schatz secured Senate passage of key legislation, including a bill to help stop illegal ahi from reaching people’s plates, while protecting Hawai‘i fishermen, according to an update from the senator. The bipartisan Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of red snapper and certain species of tuna imported into the United States.

Schatz also authored and secured Senate passage of the Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act, bipartisan legislation to expand Department of Veterans Affairs health care and benefits to US veterans who reside in the Freely Associated States of Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands.