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MEMBER OF CONGRESS

Jill N. Tokuda

Democrat HI 7 statements translated

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Jill N. Tokuda, a Hawaii Democrat, centers most of her remarks on her home state — wildfire recovery, postal service in Lahaina, defense civilians at Hawaii bases, storm damage — usually anchored in local stories and figures like the $83,000 KKCR lost or the $3 million raised for the Olowalu fire station. She speaks emotionally and relies heavily on anecdotes and first-hand scenes, often more than on reasons: she generalizes from single cases (one tariffed fire station becomes evidence tariffs are reckless broadly, one hurricane proves public broadcasting is a lifeline) and frequently issues calls to action — “listen to Lahaina,” “I am fighting to get relief for Olowalu” — with no named actor, date, or measure of success, a habit she shows far more often than most members. She does offer specific policy asks (a major disaster declaration, restoring Impact Aid, Congress reclaiming tariff authority) and generally aligns with Democratic positions while blaming the Trump administration for tariff and workforce cuts. She is direct in opposing amendments and rarely engages in procedural filler, but when she argues against the other side she often states the conclusion the evidence is meant to carry rather than establishing it.Written by AI from their statements. Updated .

Average grade
A
91 / 100 over 7 statements
Signal 85 / 100
Relevance 100 / 100
Reasoning 93 / 100
Respect Not scored yet
Clarity 95 / 100
Averaged over the 7 of 7 statements graded so far.

In their own words

Loses points more than most for

A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.3.8 times as often as most members.What the tags mean ×3.8

A conclusion that does not follow from the reasons given for it.3 times as often as most members.What the tags mean ×3.0

A story that illustrates instead of making a point.2.7 times as often as most members.What the tags mean ×2.7

Loses points less than most for Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.Less often than most members.What the tags mean

Statements 7

House of Representatives ·

Returning Japanese Citizens Abducted by North Korea

“I want Congress to restore funding for public broadcasting. These stations are not just for entertainment. They are lifelines during disasters. During a recent hurricane in Hawaii, our local radio station lost federal money, but it was the only station left on the air giving people emergency updates.”
Official Congressional Record

Madam Speaker, this is not the first time I have taken to the floor to talk about Kauai Community Radio, KKCR. When Congress defunded the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, KKCR lost $83,000. I warned then that this wasn’t simply about radio programming. It was about whether communities would have a trusted lifeline when disaster strikes. Last week, Hurricane Lowell proved the point. When the storm hit Kauai, power went out across the island. Cell service and internet became unreliable. Roads were blocked. Trees came down. Communities were cut off. KKCR stayed on the air. When the power failed, they switched to a generator. When the internet went down, they used a donated Starlink connection. When trees went down around their North Shore station, they kept broadcasting. For a time, KKCR was the only station that Kauai could hear. They carried updates from the mayor and emergency management officials. They relayed calls from listeners who were reporting weather, road conditions, and power outages in their neighborhoods. They told people where they could find food, ice, water, and help. They played music to keep people calm. In the digital age, when clocks and phones had gone dark, they even reminded people what time it was. KKCR was founded after Hurricane Iniki to provide emergency communication. More than three decades later, Hurricane Lowell shows us why that mission still matters. This is what Congress put at risk when it cut public broadcasting-- not entertainment but a lifeline. We must restore this funding because when the next disaster comes, the question is not whether people will need KKCR. It is whether KKCR will still be on the air to answer the call.

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“North Korea has kidnapped Japanese citizens and an American student, and their families are still waiting for answers. I want President Trump to bring this up directly with Kim Jong-un. He must push for the return of every kidnapped person.”
Official Congressional Record

Madam Speaker, imagine sending your 13-year-old daughter to school and waiting nearly 50 years for her to come home. That is what Sakie Yokota has endured since North Korean agents abducted her daughter, Megumi, in 1977. As a parent, that thought is absolutely heartbreaking. I think about my own sons. I imagine them growing up without me at an age so young that, after all those years, they might not even recognize my face. Koichiro Iizuka knows what that is like. His mother was abducted when he was just 1 year old. There are 17 Japanese citizens officially recognized as having been abducted by North Korea. While 5 returned home, 12 remain unaccounted for. Their families have grown old waiting. Many passed away. Sakie is now 90 years old. Every year without answers is another year stolen from them. This is not only Japan’s tragedy. David Sneddon, an American college student who disappeared while hiking in China in 2004, is also believed by his family and many others to have been abducted by North Korea. His fate remains unknown. These cases are a warning. When governments are allowed to make people disappear, no family and no country are beyond their reach. Japan is one of America’s closest friends and allies. If President Trump has an opportunity to speak to Kim Jong-un, he must raise these abductions directly. He must press for the return of every abductee and a full, credible accounting for those who remain missing, including David Sneddon. Diplomacy cannot be limited to weapons, sanctions, and security agreements. It must also be about human beings. Democracies must stand together in defense of our people and their most basic human rights. Time has already taken far too much from these families. We cannot allow silence to take away their last hope for answers.

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House of Representatives ·

Restore Lahaina Postal Services

“People are moving back into rebuilt homes after the fires in Lahaina. The Postal Service must bring back mail delivery directly to their homes and stop plans to permanently close the local post office.”

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    Reasoning 100 of 100

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Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, 3 years after the Lahaina wildfires, survivors are rebuilding and finally returning home. They should be welcomed back and not told that the basic services they had before the fire are now gone. Yet, the United States Postal Service is denying street delivery to rebuilt homes and forcing residents to use cluster mailboxes instead. That is a slap in the face. A cluster mailbox is not a welcome mat for families who fought to come home. It is an insult. Now, adding insult to injury, the U.S. Postal Service is considering permanently closing the downtown Lahaina post office damaged in the fires, with little notice and virtually no meaningful community input. The United States Postal Service needs to restore home delivery, stop the closure, and listen to Lahaina. Our community has already lost enough. Recovery means restoring what was lost, not taking more away.

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House of Representatives ·

Olowalu Fire Station

“Hurricane Lala caused massive flooding and damage in Hawaii. Homes, schools, and roads were destroyed, and thousands lost power. The federal government gave us emergency aid, but we need a major disaster declaration and direct help for families, farmers, and businesses to rebuild.”

  • Speech in the House

    Reasoning 100 of 100

    This statement drew 3 conclusions and gave a reason for each one.

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Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Lala never technically made landfall in Hawaii, but disasters aren’t measured by whether the eye of a storm crosses a shoreline. They are measured by what they leave behind, and Lala left devastation. Over 3 days, an estimated 1.3 trillion gallons of rain fell across our State. Hawaii Island took the brunt of it, with some communities seeing 20 to 40 inches. I saw the damages myself. At Na’alehu Elementary, buildings were pushed off their foundations by the force of water and debris. Parts of Highway 11 were washed away. At Na’alehu Cemetery, floodwaters tragically disturbed the resting place of generations of loved ones. Hundreds of homes across Hawaii were damaged or destroyed. At the height of the storm, over 200,000 people were left without power. However, I also saw Hawaii at its best: neighbors checking on neighbors, community hubs feeding families, supplies flown in by helicopter and carried on horseback to communities cut off by damaged roads, school workers preparing food and hygiene supplies for our ``children,’’ ``keiki,’’ even while their campuses were closed. When disaster strikes, Hawaii shows up. Now Washington needs to show up for Hawaii. I am grateful the President approved an emergency declaration, bringing critical FEMA resources to Hawaii, Maui, and Honolulu counties, but we need a major disaster declaration and individual assistance to help our families, farmers, and small businesses recover. The storm may be gone, but the emergency is not. Families are still without power. People still need food, medicine, clothing, and basic necessities. Roads, homes, schools, farms, and businesses need to be repaired and rebuilt. Even as we recover, we have to prepare, because the Pacific is still churning. More storms are coming, and they will not wait for Hawaii to recover. We need to replenish supplies, strengthen critical infrastructure, restore essential services, and make sure our most isolated communities are prepared to withstand whatever comes next. Help our people recover, prepare for what is coming next, and do it now. That is what Hawaii needs from Washington.

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“My community raised three million dollars to build a new fire station after the Lahaina fire. President Trump's steel tariffs added over 300,000 dollars to the cost. Tariffs are making it too expensive for communities across the country to keep people safe. Congress should take back its power over trade so the president cannot raise these costs on his own.”
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, after the Lahaina wildfire, West Maui knew we could not afford to wait to strengthen fire protection and emergency response, so the community got to work. They donated land and raised $3 million to build a new fire station in Olowalu. This station will cut emergency response times by up to 15 minutes. That can mean the difference between life and death, between a home burning and a home being saved. It will also cut fire insurance costs by nearly half for homeowners, saving families thousands of dollars annually. The land was donated. The money was raised. The project was fully funded. Then President Trump’s steel tariff slapped over $300,000 to the cost, not because the project changed, not because it went over budget, but because the President changed our trade policy. This is what reckless tariffs look like in real life. Today, it is a fire station on Maui, but across our country, families, businesses, and communities are paying more because of the President’s tariffs, including for the things that they need to keep themselves safe. A fire station is not a luxury, not in West Maui, not after Lahaina. I am fighting to get relief for Olowalu, but we cannot fight these tariffs one fire station, one small business, or one community at a time. Congress has the constitutional authority over tariffs and trade, and it is time we take that responsibility back. No President should be able to unilaterally impose tariffs that make it harder and more expensive for Americans to protect their homes, their communities, and their lives. West Maui has already paid too high a price. We should be making communities safer, not making safety more expensive.

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House of Representatives ·

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

“I oppose this amendment. It tells the military to make a plan to cut 200,000 civilian jobs. Our troops rely on civilian workers to fix equipment, run childcare, and provide healthcare. Past cuts have already hurt living conditions on military bases.”

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    Reasoning 100 of 100

    This statement drew 3 conclusions and gave a reason for each one.

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Official Congressional Record

Mr. Chair, I strongly oppose this amendment, which would require the Department of Defense to develop plans to eliminate 200,000 civilian employees. I have news for you: This administration already did that, and I saw the consequences with my own eyes. I had lunch with junior enlisted marines in Hawaii. They told me it took months to fix their broken washing machines, a full year to fix a sink in a barracks room. I saw windows duct taped and mold painted over. Childcare rooms were empty because they had no staff to care for servicemembers’ children. When I asked the base commander why it took a year to fix a sink, he said it is because almost all of the maintenance staff took the deferred resignation program, and with the hiring freeze, they couldn’t find replacements. There are 20,000 DoD civilian employees in Hawaii and about 800,000 worldwide. They are essential to readiness. At a time when Americans are struggling to make ends meet, they are good jobs. They have been and should remain stable jobs, too, allowing people to serve their country and care for their families. Bottom line, our war fighters rely on civilian employees for everything, from maintenance to acquisition, to healthcare, to childcare. They keep our subs and jets battle-ready and our servicemembers healthy. Mr. Chair, it is time we stop treating them as disposable. Instead, we should be investing in the civilian workforce, not continuing to threaten to cut their jobs. I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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House of Representatives ·

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

“I oppose this amendment. It creates a school voucher program that takes tax money away from public schools and gives it to private and religious schools. Most military children go to public schools, and we should invest our money there instead. Private schools also do not have to protect children with disabilities or follow federal civil rights laws.”

  • Speech on a bill

    Reasoning 100 of 100

    This statement drew 4 conclusions and gave a reason for each one.

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Official Congressional Record

Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to this amendment. Mr. Chair, we all want the same thing for our military families. While our servicemembers carry out the mission to protect and defend our Nation, we have a duty to care for the loved ones whom they leave behind. For families with school-aged children, that means investing in safe, stable, high-quality schools where every child can learn, grow, and thrive. This amendment does the opposite. It creates a new, unfunded voucher program that diverts taxpayer dollars to private, including religious, schools instead of strengthening the public schools that educate most of our military-connected children. This year, taxpayers are investing $3.6 billion in DoDEA schools, but the majority of military-connected students attend local public schools, which receive just $70 million in Impact Aid, even though they lose local property tax revenue because of nearby military installations. These schools welcome military children every time new orders arrive, helping them navigate new classrooms, new communities, and the challenges of constant moves and deployments. If Congress is prepared to invest more in military children’s education, and I fully support that, we should be investing where most of them are already learning: our public schools. This amendment also falls short for families raising children with disabilities. Public schools are legally required to identify students with disabilities and provide the services and accommodations they need. Private schools are not. They may lack specialized staff or refuse to admit a child altogether. Unlike public schools, private schools are not required to follow the same Federal civil rights protections. Taxpayer dollars could fund schools that discriminate in admissions based on disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and other characteristics. A voucher is not a real choice if a school can simply turn a child away. Our military families deserve better. Let’s strengthen the schools they rely on, fully support DoDEA and public schools through Impact Aid and ensure every military child has access to a well-funded, accountable education.

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