HR198

WHEREAS, the Trump administration, in collaboration with Congress, is implementing significant federal budget cuts, leading to widespread layoffs and funding reductions across various federal agencies; and

WHEREAS, these cuts have resulted in the termination of approximately two thousand two hundred federal positions in Hawaiʻi, excluding potential additional losses at the University of Hawaiʻi, thereby exacerbating unemployment and economic instability within the State; and

WHEREAS, the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization has projected that these federal budget cuts, coupled with proposed tariffs, could place Hawaiʻi at risk of a recession in the coming years; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Government Efficiency, under the guidance of Elon Musk, has initiated extensive layoffs within federal agencies, including the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, leading to the termination of approximately 5 percent of its workforce; and

WHEREAS, these layoffs have adversely affected critical conservation efforts in Hawaiʻi, notably within the Kauaʻi National Wildlife Refuge Complex, resulting in the loss of essential personnel responsible for protecting endangered species and maintaining vital habitats; and

WHEREAS, the administration's attempt to temporarily freeze federal grants and loans, pending a review for compliance with new executive orders, has created uncertainty and potential disruptions in funding for essential state programs and services, including education, healthcare, social services, and wildfire recovery efforts; and

WHEREAS, the House of Representatives has endorsed a federal budget resolution proposing $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next decade, which could significantly reduce healthcare access for over four hundred twenty thousand Hawaiʻi residents who rely on Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program; and

WHEREAS, Medicaid cuts would place an increased financial strain on Hawaiʻi's hospitals and healthcare providers, particularly in rural and neighbor island communities where Medicaid patients represent a significant portion of those served, potentially leading to hospital closures or service reductions; and

WHEREAS, reductions in Medicaid funding would impact makule (seniors) and individuals with disabilities who rely on long-term care services, as well as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities who already face significant health disparities; and

WHEREAS, proposed congressional cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) threaten to reduce benefits by at least twenty percent, putting over six hundred thousand Hawaiʻi residents, including seventy thousand children and thousands of makule, at increased risk of food insecurity; and

WHEREAS, the high cost of living in Hawaiʻi already puts families on the brink of economic hardship, and cuts to SNAP would disproportionately harm working families, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander households, and rural communities where access to affordable food is already limited; and

WHEREAS, food banks and community service organizations in Hawaiʻi, which are already struggling to meet demand, would face overwhelming pressure to fill the gap left by federal cuts, leading to increased hunger and hardship across the State; and

WHEREAS, the cumulative effect of these federal actions threatens the economic stability, environmental conservation efforts, and the overall quality of life for the people of Hawaiʻi; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that this body condemns the recent federal budget cuts and policy decisions that have adversely affected Hawaiʻi's programs and services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal administration and United States Congress are urged to reconsider these budgetary and policy decisions, taking into account their detrimental impact on the State of Hawaiʻi and its residents; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Governor is urged to explore and implement measures to mitigate the adverse effects of these federal actions, ensuring the continuity and stability of essential programs and services for the people of Hawaiʻi; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, Administrator of the United States Department of Government Efficiency, Majority Leader of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, and Governor.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	198
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII