Requesting The President Of The United States To Return To The State All Recreational Facilities On Hawaii Public Lands That Are No Longer Required For The Defense Of The United States, Including Fort Derussy And The Hale Koa Hotel, Pursuant To The Hawaii Admission Act, And As Further Required By Public Law 88-233.
HCR199 is a House Concurrent Resolution asking the President of the United States to determine that certain federally retained recreational facilities on Hawaii public lands are no longer needed for national defense and to return them to the State of Hawaii. The resolution focuses first on Fort DeRussy and the Hale Koa Hotel, but it also calls for a broader review of other federal recreational and leisure facilities in Hawaii, including military resorts, golf courses, marinas, and lodging areas. It frames these properties as former crown and government lands that should be conveyed back to the State under the Hawaii Admission Act and Public Law 88-233.
The measure includes extensive findings arguing that these lands have long been used for non-defense purposes, that they generate no rent or tax revenue for the State, and that their continued federal retention is inconsistent with the trust relationship created at statehood. It cites historical, constitutional, and case-law authorities to support the view that the federal government’s occupation of these lands may constitute a taking and a breach of trust, and it requests that returned lands be placed into the public land trust and managed for the benefit of the people of Hawaii, including Native Hawaiians.
Because HCR199 is a concurrent resolution, it does not itself change state statutes or compel federal action; instead, it expresses the Legislature’s position and directs requests to federal officials and state agencies. If adopted, it would formally urge the President to initiate conveyance of Fort DeRussy and similar lands, ask the Governor and Attorney General to pursue negotiations or litigation, and request an appraisal of the fair market rental value of federally occupied crown and government lands. It also contemplates future state planning for any returned lands through the public land trust and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
The resolution is strongly supportive of returning the lands to the State and is framed in assertive, remedial terms. Its tone suggests broad sympathy for Hawaii’s claim to the lands and for restoring them to public trust use, while also explicitly stating that the measure is not intended to diminish the service of U.S. military personnel. No committee discussion or vote history was provided, so there is no recorded legislative debate or formal vote sentiment in the available materials.
The main point of contention is the bill’s premise that the federal government no longer has a legitimate defense need for Fort DeRussy, the Hale Koa Hotel, and other military recreation facilities, and that their retention is unlawful or inequitable. Supporters of the resolution argue these lands should be returned because they are used for commercial or recreational purposes rather than defense and because they were originally ceded for trust purposes. Opponents, if any, would likely focus on federal military needs, the practical consequences of transferring active or quasi-active federal facilities, and the legal limits of a state resolution to affect federal land ownership. The resolution also raises broader tension over ceded lands, Native Hawaiian trust obligations, and compensation for long-term federal use.