Patrick's Priorities
Patrick's Priorities
- The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of the dire need to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy and to reduce our dependence on the continent for our food supply. Agriculture is already Hawaiʻi’s third-largest industry, and Hawaiʻi’s 2nd District is responsible for 94% of Hawaiʻi’s agricultural sales.
- In Congress, Patrick will work to bring federal funding and grants from USDA to ensure that Hawaiʻi’s agricultural sector is protected from invasive species and diseases. He will also ensure that funding for Hawaiʻi’s specialty crops, livestock, and fishing industries are boosted in the next Farm Bill.
- Patrick also knows that we cannot properly invest in our agricultural sector unless we can make the needed investments in the infrastructure o the Neighbor Islands, and increase the supply of affordable housing. He will work with community members and stakeholders throughout the Neighbor Islands to identify how the federal government can best serve our communities, and secure the investments needed from the US Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development to address disparities in rural infrastructure and housing.
Patrick understands that access to affordable, high-quality healthcare should not be dependent on your income or the zip code you live in. Hawaiʻi’s rural communities suffer from a lack of healthcare coverage and access. Throughout the Neighbor Islands, residents are faced with a physician shortage that often forces them to wait months for an appointment, travel hundreds of miles to seek care, and then pay for healthcare expenses that have more than doubled over the last 20 years. In Congress, Patrick will work to secure the resources needed to attract and retain physicians in our rural communities, and he will work to pass Medicare for All to ensure every resident of Hawaiʻi has high-quality healthcare coverage.
While the continent talks about the future effects of the climate crisis, Hawaiʻi has been feeling the effects of the climate crisis for years. As an island state, climate change threatens Hawaiʻi’s vitality and way of life. Federal action is needed to help stem the impending effects of the climate crisis. As the only state in the country that can produce all forms of renewable energy, Hawaiʻi can serve as a model for the nation. In Congress, Patrick is committed to helping facilitate the transition of our state—and nation—to a clean energy economy, by growing investment in geothermal energy exploration and production in Hawaiʻi.
Gun violence tears apart families and communities. Patrick knows that weapons of war do not belong on our streets, and that we can protect the second amendment while also implementing common sense gun safety regulations that keep our keiki and ʻohana safe. Patrick is proud to be the author of the bill which banned the possession of ghost guns in Hawaiʻi, and will be a strong advocate for gun safety in Congress.
Patrick is a proud Native Hawaiian who comes from a multiethnic family. In Congress, Patrick is committed to ensuring Native Hawaiian programs receive the funding and priority they deserve. He will fight to strengthen and preserve critical legislation such as the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, Native American Housing Assistance, and Self Determination Act’s funding to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
The pandemic demonstrated that Hawaiʻi’s economy cannot and should not be wholly dependent on tourism. Diversification of the economy is an issue of social and economic security, and Patrick is committed to securing the federal support needed for this diversification. In Congress, Patrick will work to bolster Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industry, and secure the funding needed to help make Hawaiʻi a leader in renewable energy and cyber security. These industries will help retain more of our local talent and ultimately ensure our families have the opportunities here at home to thrive.
Patrick’s life story is possible due in part to the protections and benefits offered by his parents’ unions. Patrick’s mother is a nurse and union steward, and his father is a union member of United Public Workers. He knows when unions succeed, our communities succeed. Patrick understands that when workers join forces to defend their rights and stand for the prosperity of their families, everyone benefits from their advocacy. In Congress, Patrick will work to modernize our nation’s woefully outdated federal labor laws, and advocate for legislation such as the PRO Act to ensure that every American has the right to organize and that the voices of working people are heard.
Hawaiʻi cannot succeed without high-quality infrastructure. Hawaiʻi’s rural communities face aging infrastructure that is inhibiting their growth and success. In Congress, Patrick will work to ensure Hawaiʻi’s rural areas receive the federal funding needed to modernize our airports, roads, bridges, ports, and rail systems. He will also work to ensure that every resident of Hawaiʻi has access to broadband that will allow them to access education, telehealth, and job opportunities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over 6 million lives globally, and upended the stability of the global economy and security order. It’s clear that reacting to future pandemics is not enough; instead we must be proactive to help prevent the next pandemic. Patrick is a strong supporter of the Biden administration’s plans to establish a full-time office to work across government to identify emerging viral threats and ready the nation to stop its spread.
Patrick is strongly pro-choice. Reproductive rights are facing unprecedented attacks, and Patrick knows that a woman’s healthcare decisions should solely be between her and her doctor. Government should not dictate when, how, or with whom a woman should decide to start or grow a family. In Congress, Patrick will be a strong advocate for the Women’s Health Protection Act, and safeguarding the funding for essential health programs.
In Congress, Patrick will advocate for a more secure, competitive, and innovative digital marketplace that keeps blockchain and digital asset innovation here in the United States. He will also advocate for regulatory clarity, and work to pass legislation that provides clear definitions of digital assets under current securities laws.
- Patrick is a strong supporter of the DREAM Act. DREAMers came to this country through no choice of their own and play an integral role in every industry in our nation. A pathway to citizenship for DREAMers is critical for long-term stability across our nation. In Congress, Patrick is committed to fighting for a pathway to citizenship and sensible immigration reform that helps immigrants achieve the American Dream.
- For long before, but especially throughout the pandemic, immigrant farm workers and fishermen have demonstrated how critical they are for Hawai’i’s agriculture industry and to keep our food supply chain operating smoothly. We need to honor the important role they play in securing our state and nation’s food supply by simplifying the visa process for our farmers and fishermen.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of the dire need to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy and to reduce our dependence on the continent for our food supply. Agriculture is already Hawaiʻi’s third-largest industry, and Hawaiʻi’s 2nd District is responsible for 94% of Hawaiʻi’s agricultural sales.
- In Congress, Patrick will work to bring federal funding and grants from USDA to ensure that Hawaiʻi’s agricultural sector is protected from invasive species and diseases. He will also ensure that funding for Hawaiʻi’s specialty crops, livestock, and fishing industries are boosted in the next Farm Bill.
- Patrick also knows that we cannot properly invest in our agricultural sector unless we can make the needed investments in the infrastructure o the Neighbor Islands, and increase the supply of affordable housing. He will work with community members and stakeholders throughout the Neighbor Islands to identify how the federal government can best serve our communities, and secure the investments needed from the US Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development to address disparities in rural infrastructure and housing.
Patrick understands that access to affordable, high-quality healthcare should not be dependent on your income or the zip code you live in. Hawaiʻi’s rural communities suffer from a lack of healthcare coverage and access. Throughout the Neighbor Islands, residents are faced with a physician shortage that often forces them to wait months for an appointment, travel hundreds of miles to seek care, and then pay for healthcare expenses that have more than doubled over the last 20 years. In Congress, Patrick will work to secure the resources needed to attract and retain physicians in our rural communities, and he will work to pass Medicare for All to ensure every resident of Hawaiʻi has high-quality healthcare coverage.
While the continent talks about the future effects of the climate crisis, Hawaiʻi has been feeling the effects of the climate crisis for years. As an island state, climate change threatens Hawaiʻi’s vitality and way of life. Federal action is needed to help stem the impending effects of the climate crisis. As the only state in the country that can produce all forms of renewable energy, Hawaiʻi can serve as a model for the nation. In Congress, Patrick is committed to helping facilitate the transition of our state—and nation—to a clean energy economy, by growing investment in geothermal energy exploration and production in Hawaiʻi.
Gun violence tears apart families and communities. Patrick knows that weapons of war do not belong on our streets, and that we can protect the second amendment while also implementing common sense gun safety regulations that keep our keiki and ʻohana safe. Patrick is proud to be the author of the bill which banned the possession of ghost guns in Hawaiʻi, and will be a strong advocate for gun safety in Congress.
Patrick is a proud Native Hawaiian who comes from a multiethnic family. In Congress, Patrick is committed to ensuring Native Hawaiian programs receive the funding and priority they deserve. He will fight to strengthen and preserve critical legislation such as the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, Native American Housing Assistance, and Self Determination Act’s funding to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
The pandemic demonstrated that Hawaiʻi’s economy cannot and should not be wholly dependent on tourism. Diversification of the economy is an issue of social and economic security, and Patrick is committed to securing the federal support needed for this diversification. In Congress, Patrick will work to bolster Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industry, and secure the funding needed to help make Hawaiʻi a leader in renewable energy and cyber security. These industries will help retain more of our local talent and ultimately ensure our families have the opportunities here at home to thrive.
Patrick’s life story is possible due in part to the protections and benefits offered by his parents’ unions. Patrick’s mother is a nurse and union steward, and his father is a union member of United Public Workers. He knows when unions succeed, our communities succeed. Patrick understands that when workers join forces to defend their rights and stand for the prosperity of their families, everyone benefits from their advocacy. In Congress, Patrick will work to modernize our nation’s woefully outdated federal labor laws, and advocate for legislation such as the PRO Act to ensure that every American has the right to organize and that the voices of working people are heard.
Hawaiʻi cannot succeed without high-quality infrastructure. Hawaiʻi’s rural communities face aging infrastructure that is inhibiting their growth and success. In Congress, Patrick will work to ensure Hawaiʻi’s rural areas receive the federal funding needed to modernize our airports, roads, bridges, ports, and rail systems. He will also work to ensure that every resident of Hawaiʻi has access to broadband that will allow them to access education, telehealth, and job opportunities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over 6 million lives globally, and upended the stability of the global economy and security order. It’s clear that reacting to future pandemics is not enough; instead we must be proactive to help prevent the next pandemic. Patrick is a strong supporter of the Biden administration’s plans to establish a full-time office to work across government to identify emerging viral threats and ready the nation to stop its spread.
Patrick is strongly pro-choice. Reproductive rights are facing unprecedented attacks, and Patrick knows that a woman’s healthcare decisions should solely be between her and her doctor. Government should not dictate when, how, or with whom a woman should decide to start or grow a family. In Congress, Patrick will be a strong advocate for the Women’s Health Protection Act, and safeguarding the funding for essential health programs.
In Congress, Patrick will advocate for a more secure, competitive, and innovative digital marketplace that keeps blockchain and digital asset innovation here in the United States. He will also advocate for regulatory clarity, and work to pass legislation that provides clear definitions of digital assets under current securities laws.
- Patrick is a strong supporter of the DREAM Act. DREAMers came to this country through no choice of their own and play an integral role in every industry in our nation. A pathway to citizenship for DREAMers is critical for long-term stability across our nation. In Congress, Patrick is committed to fighting for a pathway to citizenship and sensible immigration reform that helps immigrants achieve the American Dream.
- For long before, but especially throughout the pandemic, immigrant farm workers and fishermen have demonstrated how critical they are for Hawai’i’s agriculture industry and to keep our food supply chain operating smoothly. We need to honor the important role they play in securing our state and nation’s food supply by simplifying the visa process for our farmers and fishermen.