Hirono Voted Against Funding the Tsunami Warning System Network

From No HiroNo

This year, Hirono voted against funding the Tsunami Warning Network that provides Hawaii with early tsunami detection and warnings. [1] The high-tech buoy network faced $4.5 million in cuts in February, and Hirono opposed bipartisan House legislation to fully fund the critical system for FY2013 [2].

Conversely, through Governor Lingle’s leadership, Hawaii vastly improved its state civil defense operations. In 2005, Hawaii became the first state in the nation to earn the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service StormReady and TsunamiReady designations. Through the StormReady and TsunamiReady programs, Hawaii became better prepared to protect the lives and property of its residents and visitors during severe weather events. This readiness was aptly demonstrated in the safe and timely evacuations for our coastline communities statewide during the Chile Tsunami of February 27, 2010 and during the Japan (Tohoku) tsunami of March 11, 2011.

Sources:

[1] Roll Call Vote (available at: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll249.xml).

[2] Committee Report (available at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cp2gpo.script/http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-112hrpt463/pdf/CRPT-112hrpt463.pdf). ; Text of Legislation (available at:http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr5326eh/pdf/BILLS-112hr5326eh.pdf).