STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1067

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 169

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 169 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION STRONGLY URGING HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SEEK AND OBTAIN ADDITIONAL FEDERAL AID TO THE STATE OF HAWAI‘I FOR THE PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO MIGRANTS FROM THE COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION NATIONS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge Hawaii's Congressional Delegation to seek and obtain additional federal aid to the State of Hawaii for the provision of educational services to migrants from the Compact of Free Association nations.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

 

     Migrants from the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau are allowed to enter the State of Hawaii under the Compact of Free Association.  The Compact of Free Association provides for economic assistance (including eligibility for certain U.S. federal programs), defense of the Compact of Free Association nations, and other benefits by the United States, including educational services, in exchange for defense and certain other rights for the United States in the Compact of Free Association nations.

 

     Many Hawaii state agencies provide a broad range of educational, health, and social services to migrants from the Compact of Free Association nations who have moved to Hawaii.  The cost to the State to provide various state services to the Compact of Free Association migrants continues to increase each year.

 

     Your Committees find that additional support from the United States government is needed to fulfill the United States' obligation to Compact of Free Association immigrants.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 169 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair