Rep. Colleen Hanabusa is one of seven U.S. House representatives on the Armed Services Committee to be named to a newly formed defense business panel, her office announced on Monday.

The Panel of Business Challenges within the Defense Industry will examine issues within the industry with a focus on budgetary matters. 

“From military contracts to research and development funding, the defense industry is a vital component to Hawaii’s economy,” said Hanabusa in a statement released by her office. “This panel will focus on ways to streamline defense contracting in order to encourage new companies to enter the industry, and we will concentrate on small businesses and what can be done to make them more successful at bidding for competitive contracts.”

Other members of the panel include Reps. Bill Shuster, R-Pa.; Rick Larsen, D-Wash.; Bobby Schilling, R-Ill.; Betty Sutton, D-Ohio; Jon Runyan, R-N.J.; and Allen West, R-Fla.