HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	145
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

urging the united states congress to provide taxpayer relief for tariff-related cost-of-living impacts on Hawaii households.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, tariffs imposed under the current federal administration have resulted in increased costs for essential goods, including food, fuel, agricultural inputs, and consumer products, directly impacting American households and disproportionately burdening low- and middle-income families; and

 

     WHEREAS, farmers, small businesses, and consumers have experienced economic disruption due to tariff-related price increases, retaliatory trade actions, and supply chain instability; and

 

     WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has determined that certain tariff actions were imposed without proper constitutional or statutory authority, raising concerns regarding executive overreach and the lawful exercise of executive power; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii households face uniquely high costs of living due to geographic isolation and a heavy reliance on imported food, fuel, construction materials, and consumer goods, making residents especially vulnerable to price increases resulting from tariff policies; and

 

     WHEREAS, tariff-driven cost increases threaten food security in Hawaii by raising grocery prices and disrupting supply chains, thereby increasing vulnerability during emergencies and periods of economic instability; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's supply chains are particularly fragile due to limited shipping options and long transit times, and increased costs or disruptions disproportionately affect neighbor island communities, where residents face fewer retail choices, higher transportation costs, and limited access to affordable goods and services; and

 

     WHEREAS, these impacts fall especially hard on asset-limited, income-constrained, and employed (ALICE) households who earn above the federal poverty level but struggle to afford basic necessities and are highly sensitive to increases in food, fuel, and household costs; and

 

     WHEREAS, when federal actions are later found to be unconstitutional, taxpayers who bore the economic burden of those actions are left without remedy unless Congress acts to provide relief; and

 

     WHEREAS, Congress has previously authorized rebates, refunds, and direct payments to taxpayers to mitigate economic harm caused by federal policy decisions and administrative actions; and

 

     WHEREAS, restoring public trust in government requires accountability, transparency, and corrective action when unconstitutional policies impose financial harm on the public; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the United States Congress is urged to provide taxpayer relief for tariff-related cost-of-living impacts on Hawaii households; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Congress is urged to:

 

     (1)  Acknowledge the economic harm experienced by American households, including those in Hawaii, as a result of unconstitutional tariff policies;

 

     (2)  Develop and enact legislation establishing a taxpayer rebate or comparable financial benefit to offset increased costs borne by families due to these tariff policies;

 

     (3)  Ensure that any rebate or benefit is equitably structured, with particular consideration for Hawaii residents, neighbor island communities, farmers, and ALICE households most affected by rising costs; and

 

     (4)  Reaffirm Congress's constitutional role in matters of taxation and trade policy to prevent similar economic harm in the future; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States; President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate; Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; and members of Hawaii's congressional delegation.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Tariffs; Cost-of-Living Impacts; United States Congress; Taxpayer Relief