[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 43 (Monday, March 11, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H1064]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         MAUI MINUTE: DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR MAUI

  (Ms. TOKUDA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Speaker, the fires last August devastated our Maui 
``family,'' ``ohana'' in many ways. Adding to the unbearable weight of 
losing loved ones and homes, the tremendous economic loss from 
businesses destroyed and the steep drop in tourism compounded the 
suffering for thousands of families.
  In the months after the fires, there were over 10,000 new claims for 
unemployment. Not everyone impacted qualified for regular unemployment 
insurance. Thankfully, under President Biden's major disaster 
declaration, disaster unemployment assistance, or DUA, filled the gap, 
providing $7.8 million to thousands of Maui residents.
  DUA benefits for Maui expired on February 10, but our people are 
still hurting. As of January, the unemployment rate for the island of 
Maui stood at 6.2 percent, an increase compared to 5.8 percent in 
December and well above our State average of 3.1 percent.
  Last week, I led the Hawaii congressional delegation in introducing 
legislation to extend disaster unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 
39 weeks for Maui residents impacted by the fires. My bill applies 
those benefits retroactively to qualified individuals.
  Our people are focused on recovery, but we need the House to pass 
this bill now, continue this critical relief, and help our people get 
back on their feet again.

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