OHA Chair Kahele urges Congress to include Section 2831 in final FY 2026 NDAA

News Release from OHA, Nov 17, 2025

HONOLULU (Nov 17, 2025) – Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees Chairperson Kaialiʻi Kahele (who was once a Congressman, but couldn't be bothered to show up to work) today sent the following letter and accompanying enclosure to national leaders of the U.S. Senate and House Armed Services Committees.

“I am requesting inclusion of Section 2831 in the final version of the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, along with a targeted amendment requiring formal consultation with OHA and Native Hawaiian organizations,” said Kahele. “Section 2831 helps address the complex issues that the State of Hawaiʻi, the Department of Defense, OHA, and Native Hawaiians are facing, and can ensure that negotiations lead to timely decision-making while preventing indefinite delay. It also promotes a coordinated federal–state process, rather than fragmented or service-specific approaches.”

(TRANSLATION: OHA wants Congress to sideline Gov Green and put OHA in charge of the talks.)

The background memo included with the letter provides information about the Public Land Trust and the federal relationship with the Native Hawaiian community.

“It is important for our national leaders to understand the history and the responsibilities that the federal government, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the State of Hawaiʻi all have on this issue,” Kahele said.

Kahele added that OHA looks forward to working transparently with all parties involved in military leased lands in Hawaiʻi and involving the community in the important decisions to be made. OHA has also launched a comprehensive public education website on the military leased lands issue—including an anonymous statewide community survey—at oha.org/aloha-aina.

(Two Words: 'Eminent Domain')

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Congress.gov: S.2296 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

SA: OHA presses for role in military land decisions | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

BIN: OHA urges national leadership to include Native Hawaiian voices in military lease talks : Big Island Now