As the 114th Congress begins, I look forward to continuing to represent the people of Hawaii in the U.S. Senate. The landscape has changed with Republicans now in the majority, and new strategies will be needed to meet the challenges ahead.

My approach to the new Congress is straightforward. First, I will make full use of the seat I now have on the Senate Appropriations Committee, which will enable me to focus on spending priorities for our state and country that support economic growth, job creation, and social progress.

I will be a strong advocate for Hawaii’s interests by working to ensure that we receive the federal dollars that we need. From the standpoint of federal spending, our case is a powerful one. Hawaii has long been recognized as an essential link to the Asia-Pacific region. Our economic vitality, our coastal resources, our strong farming traditions, our progress on clean energy, and most of all, our rich and culturally diverse fabric make us a dynamic and integral component of the Pacific future.

Militarily, our location, defense assets and knowledge of the Asia-Pacific are central to the Defense Department’s strategic engagement in the region. We face hard choices ahead as defense leaders work with a smaller share of the budget to train and ready our service members, provide for military families, protect the United States from threats abroad, and invest in the capabilities needed to address emerging challenges. But although resources are strained, Hawaii is more critical than ever to our national defense, so I will continue working with our congressional delegation and local leaders to fight attempts to significantly reduce the military presence in Hawaii.

I will work to ensure funding for improvements to existing military facilities in Hawaii as well as investments in new and innovative programs — such as alternative energy, climate resilience and global health research — that can support Hawaii in our foreign policy engagement and pay dividends to national defense in the future.

Second, I will continue to strengthen relationships with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to find areas where we can work together. As different as our views may be on some issues, we share important common interests in many other areas.

Democrats and Republicans alike agree about the value of increasing and improving America’s tourism industry. We should expand the Preclearance program, which would allow Kona Airport to begin accepting international flights. This will encourage more international travelers to visit Hawaii and bolster our economy.

We must also modernize our weather and emergency systems to protect citizens across the country. Approximately 85 percent of tsunamis occur in the Pacific region, making warning systems and preparedness extremely important to the safety of Hawaii. I will continue working with Republicans in the House and Senate to strengthen and update the Tsunami Warning and Education Act to provide a strong national framework for tsunami preparedness, while also addressing the specific concerns of Hawaii.

Third, I look forward to continuing to work as a team with my colleagues in Hawaii’s delegation, which is in a strong position with talented, well-respected members with excellent committee assignments.

There is much we can achieve if we work together. I hope the new majority will embrace responsible governing, and will not use their new power to pass one-sided bills that are not the result of bipartisan compromise, resulting in a certain veto. That would be a lost opportunity for Congress and for the American people. It is time to get back to working out our differences, crafting solutions and restoring our faith in our government.