Biography

Jill N. Tokuda, born on March 3, 1976, in Kāneʻohe, Hawaiʻi, is a Democratic U.S. Representative serving Hawaiʻi's 2nd Congressional District since January 3, 2023. This district encompasses suburban and rural parts of Oʻahu, as well as the islands of Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi, Maui, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, Niʻihau, Kahoʻolawe, and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

A fourth-generation Japanese American with Okinawan heritage, Tokuda's family has resided in the district for generations. She is married to Kyle Michibata, and they have two sons, Aden and Matt, who attend the same public schools their parents graduated from—King Intermediate and James B. Castle High School.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Tokuda is a proud product of Hawaiʻi's public schools. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with a minor in Japanese Studies from The George Washington University, becoming the first in her family to attend college.

• Political Experience:

  • *Hawaiʻi State Senate *: Represented Kāneʻohe and Kailua. During her tenure, she chaired several committees, including Ways and Means, Education and Higher Education, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs, and Labor. As Ways and Means Chair, she managed the state's $14 billion budget and approved all fiscal and tax measures.
  • *U.S. House of Representatives *: Elected to represent Hawaiʻi's 2nd Congressional District. She serves on the House Committee on Armed Services, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and is the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology on the Committee on Agriculture. Additionally, she co-chairs the Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus and serves as Second Vice Chair for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

Notable Achievements

• Early Childhood Education: Championed legislation establishing Hawaiʻi's first Executive Office on Early Learning and funded the Hawaiʻi Keiki Program to provide health services in public schools.
• Agricultural Land Protection: Passed enabling legislation for the designation and protection of Important Agricultural Lands, fulfilling a 30-year constitutional mandate to safeguard Hawaiʻi's most productive food-producing lands.
• COVID-19 Economic Response: Appointed to the Hawaiʻi House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness, where she collaborated with state, county, and nonprofit entities to track and manage over $21 billion in federal relief funds for Hawaiʻi.
• Advocacy for Women's Rights: Co-founded the Patsy T. Mink PAC, supporting pro-choice women seeking elected office in Hawaiʻi.

Tokuda's extensive experience in both public service and the nonprofit sector underscores her commitment to the people of Hawaiʻi and her dedication to addressing the diverse needs of her constituents.