Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1823 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for phase II of the Oahu Veteran's Center at Foster Village.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Defense, Disabled American Veterans, Oahu Veterans Council, the Hawaii Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, the Hawaiian Chapter of the National Association for Uniformed Services, and an individual.

Your Committee finds that the State appropriated $2.8 million as a grant-in-aid to construct the Oahu Veterans Center in 1995. Unfortunately, two failed attempts to exchange federal lands for state lands caused a delay in the project and a severe reduction in the appropriation amount. However, with the signing of a lease with the Foster Village Community Association, phase I construction is underway. The funding assistance in this measure will ensure the completion of the center, which has been an important long-standing community project.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1823 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.