Congress has important work to accomplish during this 2017 fall session. As a member of the House Democratic Caucus, my priorities include issues important to the people of Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District and, of equal importance, resistance to Trump administration initiatives opposed by my constituency. In a broad sense, my top three priorities are: 1) People, 2) Budget, and 3) Defense.

>> People. In terms of positive goals, lacking any major economic legislative package by the Trump administration, one of my priorities is to work with House Democrats on a jobs bill that includes apprenticeship, career and technical training programs and a tax code that encourages businesses to invest in people and infrastructure.

In the near term, however, there is no greater priority than the passage of the DREAM Act of 2017, a measure I cosponsored through which DREAMers can earn lawful permanent residence and eventually, American citizenship. With over 800,000 DREAMers in the United States and 600-plus in Hawaii, we owe these young people dignity and respect for their desire to better their lives in America. Turning these young men and women away is unconscionable, and I will fight to protect those who entered this country legally under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

I will also continue to fight for affordable health care, resist attempts to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and defend against attacks to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Having just celebrated Labor Day, I will also defend the people’s right to choose to bargain collectively.

On the converse, I continue to oppose President Donald Trump’s ban on visitors and refugees from select Muslim-majority countries, Trump’s border wall, Trump’s irresponsible rescission of DACA and Trump’s proposal to slash legal immigration. The U.S., especially the state of Hawaii, is a land of immigrants, rich in diverse cultures and traditions. Accordingly, I want to limit Trump’s nationalist priorities that have divided our country during his first nine months in office.

>> Budget. This fall session finds Congress in the midst of its appropriations cycle and I am fighting against appropriations that would undermine the ACA, negatively impact women’s health, gut discretionary programs that benefit seniors, working families, children, and the disabled, neglect critical public infrastructure, marginalize the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and cut Native Hawaiian programs.

Congress is also intent on providing sufficient funds to cover disaster relief for Hurricane Harvey and Irma. To avoid a federal government shutdown, Congress must raise the debt limit and pass an Omnibus Appropriations Bill by Sept. 30 or agree upon a short-term Continuing Resolution (more likely).

>> Defense. Given North Korea’s nuclear acquisition/development program and Kim Jong Un’s unpredictability, the defense of the U.S. and Hawaii, along with the security and stability of our allies in the Asia-Pacific, remains a high priority. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, we were able to get Hawaii’s defense priorities in the FY18 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in July 2017. For example, the NDAA includes the siting of a discriminating radar in Hawaii relative to potential threats in Asia Pacific. Given the U.S. Pacific Command and component commands headquartered on Oahu along with the U.S. Coast Guard 14th District, I prioritize the needs of the military, including adequate equipment, facilities, dry docks, training grounds and personnel.

My staff and I are proud to serve the men and women in Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District and we believe our priorities reflect their values and concerns.

Colleen Hanabusa represents Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District (urban Oahu) in the U.S. House.