Jill N. Tokuda, HI
Linked statement
“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.”
“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.”
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.