(BIVN) – The Office of Hawaiian Affairs recently concluded a three-day visit to Washington, D.C., where they engaged with “senior Department of Defense civilian leadership and key members of Congress on the future of military-leased lands in Hawaiʻi.” 

The meetings come as major military leases on Hawaiʻi’s state lands – including lands at Pōhakuloa on Hawaiʻi island – are set to expire between 2028 and 2031. OHA is working to reinforce a message that the agency must be included as a formal participant in negotiations, decision making, and implementation. 

“This was a highly productive and timely engagement,” said OHA Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele, who made the trip to the U.S. Capitol. “There is clear recognition in Washington that Hawaiʻi’s unique circumstances – and the historical, cultural, and legal framework governing these lands – require thoughtful collaboration with Native Hawaiians moving forward.” 

OHA Chair Kai Kahele speaks with Rep. John Garamendi (courtesy OHA)

Interim OHA Administrator/CEO Summer Sylva was also a part of the trip to Washington. 

The OHA delegation met with senior Pentagon leadership, including assistant secretaries across the Army, Navy, and Air Force responsible for installations, energy, and environment.

An OHA news release says there was “broad acknowledgment of OHA’s seat at the table as a co-trustee representing more than 650,000 Native Hawaiians” from those in Washington.

“Recognition that OHA’s seat at the table is grounded in the Hawaii State Constitution and our responsibility to the public land trust,” the OHA news release stated. “This is not an issue of federal status; it’s about the state’s obligation to its own laws and its indigenous people.”

“There is a shared understanding and mutual interest in moving forward constructively,” said Kahele. “OHA’s involvement is rooted in our kuleana as co-trustees. We are moving beyond an advisory capacity to ensure Native Hawaiian interests are the foundation of all future military lease discussions. This is a strategic necessity for a just, equitable and lasting resolution.”

“As these leases approach expiration, we face a once-in-a-generation decision point,” said Interim Administrator/CEO Sylva. “This moment requires a just outcome and a decisive break from a history of exclusion. Native Hawaiian leadership must be central to what comes next. OHAʻs co-trustee role is as a principal decision-maker, ensuring the interests of our lāhui are foundational. We will engage in good faith to secure fair and equitable terms and remain accountable to our beneficiaries while rejecting any effort to marginalize Native Hawaiian voices in the process.”

Figure 1-2 from the EIS showing the U.S. Government-owned and State-owned land at Pōhakuloa Training Area

Chair Kahele says OHA will return to Washington, D.C. in the coming weeks “to sustain momentum and deepen engagement with Congress and the Administration.”