New Allies for Jones Act Reform

by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D., President/CEO, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Both at home and abroad, new allies are emerging in the quest for Jones Act reform.   What was once seen as a partisan concern is gaining ground as common sense economics. 

For example, Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman, despite his differences with conservative and Libertarian economists, recently addressed the economic plight of Puerto Rico as follows:  "The situation is, unfortunately, exacerbated by the Jones Act, which requires that goods traveling between Puerto Rico and the mainland use U.S. ships, raising transportation costs even further."

On the international front, recent Pacific and Atlantic trade initiatives by the U.S. Administration have generated calls for Jones Act reform from our allies who build cargo ships and want to sell them to the U.S., where the Jones Act has created a scarcity of ships.

Grassroot is active both at home in Hawaii and in Washington, D.C., reaching out to diverse voices to harness the growing chorus of Jones Act reformers.

Watch Andy Blom and myself in our latest D.C. update here.

LINK: Krugman: Puerto Rico Crisis 'exacerbated by Jones Act'