U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye said Monday that the debt crisis should not endanger federal money for Honolulu’s rail project.

"Well, the decisions made so far — and also by the committee — will not involve itself in line items like the East-West Center or the University of Hawaii or the rail," the Hawaii Democrat said at a meeting with reporters in his Honolulu office. "They just say ‘so much for defense,’ ‘so much for the State Department,’ and then you work in between the caps, within the caps."

The senator offered assurances that federal money for rail will be available.

"I think they should count on it," he said of city officials. "It’s not over yet."

Inouye, D-Hawaii, also said he is hopeful that U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka will be successful at getting federal money to cover the state’s cost of providing benefits to Pacific migrants in the Compact of Free Association.

"We’ve had very serious discussions not only with our federal officials, but with officials of the compact states. They realize that it is not fair for Hawaii to pick up the load because most citizens of those islands stop over in Hawaii because of ethnic similarities, language similarities, and they feel at home climatically," the senator said.

Inouye said the goal is for Hawaii to be fully compensated.

"We hope to get the full amount," he said.

Hawaii News Now video: Inouye sounds off on U.S. debt