Educational Forum on the Jones Act Reform
The Hawaii Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and the Conservative Forum for Hawaii are co-sponsoring an educational forum on the Jones Act,
Friday October 4, 6:00pm, at the Naniloa Hotel Crown Room in Hilo.
This event is free and open to the public.
Two distinguished speakers will be presenting:
- Dr. Keli’i Akina, president of the non-partisan free-market think tank Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, will talk on the economic aspects, and
- Michael Hansen, president of the Hawaii Shippers Council, will talk on the national defense issues involved.
The Jones Act is a 1920 federal shipping law which affects nearly every product brought in to or out of Hawaii, by requiring all shipping between American ports be on American built, flagged and crewed vessels only. It has been haled as preserving a key American marine resource and sea-lift capability as a national defense supplement, and criticized as a 93 year old outdated law that increases the cost of living for every citizen substantially and unnecessarily.
Hawaiian politicians have lined up on both sides of the issue. In favor of preservation have been the majority of Hawaiian national legislators, including both our present Democratic US Senators and Congresswomen, and former Republican Governor Linda Lingle.
In favor of reform are former Governor Ben Cayetano (D), Congressmen Ed Case (D) and Charles Djou (R). A recent bi-partisan Hawaii House Concurrent Resolution for reform was co-sponsored by Representatives Clifton Tsuji (D), Chair, Economic Development & Business Affairs, John M. Mizuno (D), Vice Speaker, and Cindy Evans (D), Chair, Committee on Water and Land, and Gene Ward (R), Minority Leader Emeritus and Lauren Kealohilani Cheape (R), Minority Whip.
All are invited to learn more about this non-partisan issue of great importance to every citizen.
For more information contact Conservative Forum president Walter Moe 966-5420, forumhawaii@gmail.com, or Portuguese Chamber president Joseph Marsh 935-1865, jmarsh@bisihi.com