Washington, D.C. -- Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) today voted in support of the FY 06 Defense Appropriations bill. Following his vote, Senator Akaka made the following statement:
"Tonight I voted in favor of funding for our troops and Katrina relief emergency funding. However, this bill includes several provisions that I do not agree with such as liability protections for vaccine manufacturers providing vaccines to prevent Avian Flu and establishment of the first national school voucher program. "I strongly believe our men and women, particularly those deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, need these funds to successfully accomplish their mission and prepare for the future. I am pleased that my colleagues and I voted to pass this important legislation."
The Defense Appropriations bill provides more than $30 million for Hawaii projects of which the following are just some of the Akaka initiatives included:
- $2.685 million for Hawaii Army National Guard
- $2 million for Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessel
- $6.37 million for Man Overboard Identification System
- $1.05 million for Stainless Steel Sanitary Spaces
- $1 million for High Performance Brush Program
- $1.5 million for Advanced Detection of Explosives Program, a program in collaboration with the University of Hawaii
- $650 thousand for strengthening the quality of life for military families program, which will provide military personnel and their families to be prepared financially and emotionally for the deployment of the servicemember
