More than 50 people gave up their Saturday morning this past weekend to take part in a “talk story” session with Congressman Ed Case, who represents Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District. The meeting was held in the Aina Haina Elementary School cafeteria.

Case previously served in the House from 2002-2007 representing the 2nd District. He was elected to the House last year, after Colleen Hanabusa gave up the seat in her unsuccessful bid to unseat Gov. David Ige.

Case spent some time explaining what he described as his “mission statement.”

First, he said he and the Congress are responsible for providing national leadership.

“We have separate and co-equal branches of government,” he stressed.

As a result, “As a member of Congress, I am not below the president.”

“I am responsible, as your member, for fulfilling Congress’ responsibility to lead, to contribute to national leadership.”

The second part of his “mission,” Case said, is to push for assistance from the federal government “to assist Hawaii with our goals back home.”

Case said he often has to explain to his colleagues why Hawaii often has special needs due to its unique location far from Washington and its unique character as an island state.

Finally, the third part of the “mission” is helping individual constituents with their needs or concerns, Case said.

“Case work is an important part of my job,” a lesson case said he learned from Spark Matsunaga, who served Hawaii in both House and Senate until his death in death in 1990.

Case then described his committee assignments. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, where he also sits on subcommittees responsible for military construction and veterans affairs, and commerce, justice, science, and related agencies.

With his appointment to the Appropriations Committee, and Senator Brian Schatz’ on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hawaii is one of the few states to have double representation in the appropriations process.

“It doesn’t line up like that very often,” Case said, saying this should provide benefits to the state.

Case also sits on the House Natural Resource Committee, which deals with issues related to Native Hawaiian matters, oceans, federal conservation, species protection programs, energy production, mineral lands and mining, fisheries and wildlife, irrigation and reclamation.

Case also noted his participation in a number of Congressional caucuses on a variety of subjects of common interest.

Besides advocating for specific issues, these caucuses are an important venue for networking, Case said.

“You’ve got to develop relationships, you’ve got to find your friends,” he said.

On the hot button issue of immigration, Case said he disagrees with the president “on the urgency of a border wall.”

The president intends to divert about $10 billion already appropriated by Congress for other specific projects, including $450 million previously approved for projects here in Hawaii.

The situation at the border doesn’t justify an emergency declaration, Case said.

Although Case said he doesn’t believe in open borders, he opposes the president’s border wall.

“You don’t need a 1,000 mile wall to secure the border,” he said. “There are lots of ways to do it.”

“Discussion of the border wall must be part of a larger reform of immigration in our country,” Case said.

He said one essential part of immigration reform is a robust and effective system of legal immigration.

He then opened the meeting to questions and comments from the audience. As I left, the line of those waiting to speak was growing.

Overall, I felt that Case did a very good job. He was relaxed, appearing confident and open, he spoke well, handled challenging questions constructively, and didn’t get flustered when his positions were challenged.

Case said he did about 170 community sessions like this during his first two terms in the House, when he had to keep in touch with communities across all the islands. He expects he won’t need as many community meetings now that he represents the 1st District in urban Honolulu, but does consider communication with constituents, and opportunities to listen to constituents, as priorities.