17 Prominent Hawaii economists, business leaders, and professors ask Congress to Repeal 1920s Law Preventing Foreign Competition in Shipping
News Release from Smart Business Hawaii May 22, 2013
Seventeen prominent economists, professors and business leaders are calling on Congress to repeal the Jones Act, the 1920s shipping law that requires goods shipped between American ports are transported on American manned, owned and made ships.
They all agree: “The restriction of shipping to the islands is highly protectionist and anachronistic, thus unnecessarily raising the cost of living” and add the Jones Act is an impediment to the economic health of the Hawaii economy.
The letter is being sent to all of Hawaii’s congressional delegation as well as all members of Congress.
Jones Act supporters were at the U.S. Capitol on May 21, offering the opposing view. According to a news release from the American Maritime Partnership, Joseph H. Pyne, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Kirby Corporation, testified before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and said “preserving the Jones Act is essential to the nation’s economic growth as well as its national and homeland security.”
A copy of the letter and names of those who signed the letter along with the date of their signature is provided below.
Concerning Repeal of the Jones Act
As the Jones Act is an impediment to the economic health of the Hawaii economy, we urge all measures for its repeal. The restriction of shipping to the islands is highly protectionist and anachronistic, thus unnecessarily raising the cost of living.
Sincerely, (alphabetical order)
Dr. Lee H. Endress ____________________ Date 5-9-13
-Affiliate Graduate Faculty, Economics Department, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Dr. Howard He ____________________ Date 5-7-13
-Associate Professor of Economics, Hawaii Pacific University
Dr. Baybars Karacaovali ____________________ Date 5-9-15
Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Ed Kemp, ____________________ Date 5-17-13
-President & CEO of E.N. Kemp & Associates
Dr. Leroy Laney ____________________ Date 5-6-13
-Professor of Economics and Finance, Hawaii Pacific University
James Barney Marsh, Ph.D. ____________________ Date 5-15-13
-Professor of International Business Economics, University of Hawaii-Manoa
Dr. Hannah-Hanh Nguyen ____________________ Date 5-8-13
-Assistant Professor, Shidler College of Business, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Dr. Panos Prevedouros ____________________ Date 5-7-13
-Professor of Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Dr. S. Ghon Rhee ____________________ Date 5-7-12
Shidler Distinguished Professor of Finance, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Richard O. Rowland, ____________________ Date 5-17-13
-Chairman of the Board, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ken Schoolland ___________________ Date 5-6-13
-Associate Professor of Economics, Hawaii Pacific University
Sam Slom, ___________________ Date 5-17-13
-President, Smart Business Hawaii, state Senate Minority Leader
Dr. Ralph Sprague ____________________ Date 5-7-15
Professor Emeritus, Shidler College of Business, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Feng Xingyuan, Ph.D. ____________________ Date 5-7-13
-Professor and Vice Director, Unirule Institute of Economics; Vice President, Cathay Institute for Public Affairs
Bei Zeng. Ph.D. _____________________ Date 5-9-13
-Assistant Professor of Finance, Hawaii Pacific University
Kate Zhou, Ph.D. _____________________ Date 5-18-13
-Professor of Political Economy, University of Hawaii-Manoa
Feifei Zhu, Ph.D. _____________________ Date 5-17-13
-Assistant Professor of Finance & Economics, Hawaii Pacific University