WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye announced that the Senate approved the Fiscal Year 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Bill which includes $1,225,000 in the Department of Treasury's budget for Hawaii, including $750,000 to continue part-time and temporary positions in the Honolulu District of the United States Customs Service. The Fiscal Year 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Bill includes funding for the: Department of Transportation; Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary, and Related Agencies; Department of the Interior and Related Agencies; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies; Department of Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government; Department of Agriculture; District of Columbia; and Foreign Operations.

"In Hawaii today, the need for U.S. customs personnel is extremely important and necessary to facilitate the movement of the thousands of passengers arriving and departing from Honolulu International Airport everyday," stated Senator Inouye.

In addition, $475,000 was provided for the planning and design of the Mauna Kea Astronomy Educational Center on the Island of Hawaii. Mauna Kea is known internationally as the best site for optical, infrared and millimeter/submillimeter astronomy. The center will include a planetarium, real time linkages to observatories, and conferencing and instructional facilities.

The Congress also included a provision which directs the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to maintain a problem resolution specialist position, current problem resolution positions assisting the problem resolution officer, and an appropriate number of tax examination personnel to assist the taxpayers in Hawaii and Alaska. This directive to the IRS recognizes the distances between these states and the U.S. mainland, the many tax compliance issues unique to these states, and the difficulty in receiving assistance through the IRS toll-free line.

In addition, the Congress directed the U.S. Postal Service to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to combat plant and animal pests and diseases in Hawaii. The concern is that recent introductions of plant and animal pests and diseases into Hawaii have occurred through the U.S. mail system. These introductions have severe consequences for U.S. agriculture, biodiversity, and public health and safety.

The Fiscal Year 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Bill will now be transmitted to the White House.