U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, a Democrat from Hawaii, is gathering personal stories from residents of the state who have been affected by recent cuts under the Trump administration.
Specifically, she’s seeking accounts from people who have experienced job losses, economic hardship, or program reductions due to the government’s budget cuts.
This initiative comes in the wake of efforts by the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk, to reduce federal spending and staffing.
As part of this effort, the DOGE has already resulted in significant layoffs of federal workers and funding cuts to various programs.
Tokuda emphasized that collecting these stories will help House Democrats craft a response to these policies.
She believes that putting a human face on the impact of these cuts is crucial in fighting back against what she describes as inhumane and unconstitutional actions at the administrative and executive levels.
By directly hearing from affected community members, Tokuda hopes to rally support for a stronger opposition to these measures.