Jill N. Tokuda
Representative for Hawaii · Democratic · United States
“Public schools are legally required to identify students with disabilities and provide the services and accommodations they need. Private schools are not. They may lack specialized staff or refuse to admit a child altogether. Unlike public schools, private schools are not required to follow the same Federal civil rights protections.”
“This year, taxpayers are investing $3.6 billion in DoDEA schools, but the majority of military-connected students attend local public schools, which receive just $70 million in Impact Aid, even though they lose local property tax revenue because of nearby military installations.”
“Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to this amendment. Mr. Chair, we all want the same thing for our military families. While our servicemembers carry out the mission to protect and defend our Nation, we have a duty to care for the loved ones whom they leave behind.”
“During World War II, the same law was used to imprison over 120,000 Japanese Americans, including our families. My great-grandfather was taken from his home, incarcerated without cause, solely because of his ethnicity. Now, we are seeing the same injustice unfold again.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to President Trump's unlawful and unjust deportations to El Salvador. Earlier this year, the administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th century wartime statute, to deport 137 Venezuelan men to a notorious prison abroad.”
“The National Dislocated Worker Grant has been vital in funding such disaster recovery work and providing job training, temporary employment, and career services to wildfire survivors. I am grateful to the Department of Labor for awarding Hawaii $2.5 million in dislocated worker grant funding.”
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“Public schools are legally required to identify students with disabilities and provide the services and accommodations they need. Private schools are not. They may lack specialized staff or refuse to admit a child altogether. Unlike public schools, private schools are not required to follow the same Federal civil rights protections. Taxpayer dollars could fund schools that discriminate in admissions based on disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and other characteristics. A voucher is not a real choice if a school can simply turn a child away. Our military families deserve better. Let's strengthen the schools they rely on, fully support DoDEA and public schools through Impact Aid and ensure every military child has access to a well-funded, accountable education.”
“This year, taxpayers are investing $3.6 billion in DoDEA schools, but the majority of military-connected students attend local public schools, which receive just $70 million in Impact Aid, even though they lose local property tax revenue because of nearby military installations. These schools welcome military children every time new orders arrive, helping them navigate new classrooms, new communities, and the challenges of constant moves and deployments. If Congress is prepared to invest more in military children's education, and I fully support that, we should be investing where most of them are already learning: our public schools. This amendment also falls short for families raising children with disabilities.”
“Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to this amendment. Mr. Chair, we all want the same thing for our military families. While our servicemembers carry out the mission to protect and defend our Nation, we have a duty to care for the loved ones whom they leave behind. For families with school-aged children, that means investing in safe, stable, high-quality schools where every child can learn, grow, and thrive. This amendment does the opposite. It creates a new, unfunded voucher program that diverts taxpayer dollars to private, including religious, schools instead of strengthening the public schools that educate most of our military-connected children.”
“It is un-American, and it must stop. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to honor the oath we all took in this very Chamber to uphold the Constitution, protect due process, and defend the values that define our Nation.”
“During World War II, the same law was used to imprison over 120,000 Japanese Americans, including our families. My great-grandfather was taken from his home, incarcerated without cause, solely because of his ethnicity. Now, we are seeing the same injustice unfold again. In communities like Kona, Hawaii, a child was taken from his elementary school classroom. Families are taken from their homes, and people live in fear. Children miss school. Parents avoid lifesaving care and their doctors. Faith communities grow quiet, not because of guilt but because of government overreach. Let us be clear. These individuals are our neighbors, workers, students, and friends. They deserve dignity and due process, not detention and deportation. Sending people to foreign prisons without a trial, without rights, and without hope is not only unconstitutional.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to President Trump's unlawful and unjust deportations to El Salvador. Earlier this year, the administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th century wartime statute, to deport 137 Venezuelan men to a notorious prison abroad. This archaic law is being exploited to bypass our immigration system and deny individuals their most basic legal protections. [[Page H1771]] {time} 1930 These deportations were not based on convictions or due process. They are based on ancestry and suspicions--tattoos misidentified, affiliations assumed, rights ignored. The Supreme Court affirmed, by a 7-2 majority, these people deserve due process under our Constitution. For me and for Representative Takano, this strikes painfully close to home.”
“Maui's recovery is not just a priority. It is a promise to those who have lost so much. I will keep fighting to ensure that promise is kept. ____________________”
“The National Dislocated Worker Grant has been vital in funding such disaster recovery work and providing job training, temporary employment, and career services to wildfire survivors. I am grateful to the Department of Labor for awarding Hawaii $2.5 million in dislocated worker grant funding. While this is a step in the right direction, the livelihoods of displaced workers, the health of our local economy, and the long-term trajectory of Maui's recovery remain in the balance. We must continue working to secure all remaining dislocated worker funds available--$8 million--to ensure the program continues through September 2025. We can and must give our local workers this certainty during an uncertain time. Without these funds, we risk losing momentum in the recovery and leaving workers without crucial support.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025)] [House] [Page H1555] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] MAUI DISLOCATED WORKERS PROGRAM (Ms. TOKUDA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the workers and families of Maui, still recovering from the devastating wildfires of 2023. Displaced workers continue to drive Maui's recovery, rebuilding homes, clearing debris, restoring infrastructure, and supporting their communities.”