Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after voting against the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027. The bill passed the House by a vote of 216-212 and will now head to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

"My goal was clear from day one: keep any authority for the military to condemn and take Hawaiʻi lands out of the NDAA. We drew a red line, held it, and won. The final bill does not give the military that power, and decisions about Hawaiʻi lands remain where they belong: in Hawaiʻi hands. That victory was never guaranteed. It took sustained pressure, clear opposition, and a refusal to let Hawaiʻi be treated as an afterthought. I will always fight to protect Hawaiʻi and defend our right to decide what happens to our lands," said Rep. Tokuda.

"While we defended Hawaiʻi, House Republicans gutted the bipartisan NDAA we built in committee. They loaded it with toxic poison-pills that undermine our military, punish the people who serve and their families, and make our country less safe."

"Worst of all, Republicans attached the SAVE America Act onto this bill, imposing burdensome voter-ID requirements that make it harder for eligible Americans to vote. They hijacked a must-pass defense bill to advance a partisan election agenda that has nothing to do with military readiness.

"I could not in good conscience vote for a bill that puts politics ahead of our troops. The NDAA should strengthen our military and support those who serve-not be used as a vehicle to advance a partisan agenda."

A summary of the FY27 NDAA can be found here.

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