Senator Mazie K. Hirono affirmed her commitment to making added resources available to state veterans.
Hirono hosted a hearing, followed by a series of meetings and events to discuss the state’s veterans’ affairs resources and programs and the challenges Hawaii veterans face in obtaining proper health care, housing, education and other benefits.
“It is clear that our veterans and the larger VA community face numerous challenges,” Hirono said in a statement released from her office. “But my colleagues and I on the Veterans Affairs Committee are committed to strengthening the VA and helping to ensure all of our veterans can access the resources and support they need and deserve.”
According to the release, as of 2020, there were over 113,000 veterans in Hawaii, comprising over 10 percent of Hawaii’s adult population. During the hearing, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough discussed the progress that has been made, including the recent passage of the PACT Act, as well as the work ahead to better support the many challenges veterans in Hawaii continue to face.
“There are an estimated 113,000 Veterans in Hawaii, and our shared mission—at VA, in Congress, and as a nation—is to serve every one of those Veterans as well as they’ve served our country,” McDonough said in the release. “We at VA look forward to continuing to partner with Senator Hirono to deliver world-class health care and benefits to Hawaii Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.”
Hirono later questioned a second panel of witnesses, which included local veterans, as well as leadership from the Hawaii Office of Veterans’ Services and other local organizations. Following the hearing, Hirono and McDonough hosted a roundtable with student veterans at the University of Hawaii’s Manoa campus to discuss the challenges student veterans face and how the VA and higher education institutions can better support them. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 895,000 student veterans attend colleges and universities nationwide, including 17,000 in Hawaii.
“VA education benefits are meant to help our veterans transition to the classroom after their service, but too many still struggle to obtain higher education or job skills,” Hirono said in the release. “Barriers like student debt, child care affordability, and a lack of access to mental health resources prevent many of our veterans from being able to complete their degrees or job training programs.