Here’s What The Defense Spending Bill Means For Hawaii And The Pacific… The National Defense Authorization Act passed by the U.S. Senate on Friday includes more than $300 million in construction projects for military bases in Hawaii.
The defense funding bill for next year puts a heavy emphasis on military operations in the Pacific amid growing tensions between the United States and China, calling for a review of U.S. missile defense systems and restoring funding for a new missile defense radar facility in Hawaii.
The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed by an overwhelming majority in the U.S. Senate on Friday, also included $301 million for construction projects on Hawaii bases, including two new child development centers for military families, a new aircraft maintenance hangar and wharf improvement projects.
The annual defense bill now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk, where it faces an unusual challenge. Trump has threatened to veto it due to the inclusion of a provision that would create a commission to study renaming bases named for Confederate officials and the exclusion of a measure abolishing a law that protects social media companies from liability for posts by their users.
