HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

6

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING CONGRESS TO EXEMPT HAWAII, ALASKA, GUAM, AND PUERTO RICO FROM THE JONES ACT FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND SECURITY OF THEIR RESIDENTS.

 

WHEREAS, historically the United States has sought to protect its shipping industry through cabotage laws, such as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act; and

WHEREAS, the Jones Act strictly limits the shipping of merchandise between the United States and its territories to American-built and registered ships crewed by United States citizens; and

WHEREAS, eighty per cent of the goods consumed in Hawaii are imported from the mainland or foreign countries and ninety-eight per cent of these goods come by ship; and

WHEREAS, while transpacific shipping costs are some of the lowest in the world, especially from the United States to Asia, the freight rates between the mainland and Hawaii are some of the highest; and

WHEREAS, much of the high cost of living in Hawaii can be attributed to unnecessarily high shipping costs caused by the Jones Act; and

WHEREAS, such excess costs present an immense and unfair burden on the people of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, Congress has already recognized the unique aspects of the Pacific region and the excessive burdens placed on it by the Jones Act when it exempted the Northern Marianas and American Samoa from the applicability of the Jones Act; and

WHEREAS, Alaska, Guam, and Puerto Rico are also heavily dependent on the shipping industry and endure similar economic hardships as a result of the restrictions of the Jones Act; and

WHEREAS, the almost total dependence on sea freight services makes the economies of Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Guam extremely sensitive to even minor restrictions or disruptions in transportation; and

WHEREAS, any disruption in the delivery of oil, food, or other vital goods would severely threaten the health, safety, and general welfare of residents of Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and Puerto Rico, as well as visitors to these destinations; and

WHEREAS, an exemption from the Jones Act would protect the collective health, safety, and security of the people of Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Guam; and

WHEREAS, there are no ocean-going livestock carriers in the Jones Act fleet and the approximately one hundred and sixty livestock carriers comprising the world fleet are registered in other nations; and

WHEREAS, the currently available waterborne transportation aboard container ships is not inherently well-suited for large-scale movement of livestock, thereby restricting the development of the Hawaii beef cattle industry; and

WHEREAS, there are currently no specialized bulk carriers registered in the United States that are capable of servicing the large-scale movement of Alaska coal and coal derived fuels, which impedes the movement of a potential fuel source to the west coast of the United States, Hawaii and the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico; and

WHEREAS, allowing foreign shippers to participate in the United States mainland trade to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Guam would protect the health, safety, and security of these state and territorial residents and also foster shipping competition which will result in economic benefit to consumers; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, that the Hawaii State House of Representatives respectfully requests the Congress of the United States to pass legislation granting an exemption from the Jones Act to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Guam; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii State House of Representatives respectfully requests the President of the United States and his administration to support the congressional legislation requested herein; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Hawaii's congressional delegation is urged to request Congress to exempt Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Guam from the Jones Act; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, and to the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Jones Act; request congressional exemption for Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Guam