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The Jones Act was an issue in the May 22 House special election in Hawaii: Both Republican winner Charles Djou and one of his two Democratic opponents charged that it benefited a handful of ship lines and unions at the expense of ordinary Hawaiians. Mr. Djou is preparing a bill to exempt Hawaii. If FedEx can move cargo across the country in European-made Airbuses, why can't a boat built in, say, Canada, ship wheat from Los Angeles to Honolulu? The Jones Act lobby crushed the last attempt at reform back in the 1990s.  May the next one meet with more success.

GO TO THE STATE CAPITOL ON JULY 6 TO OPPOSE ANY OVERRIDE OF HB 444. We are asking everyone to be there by 12:00 noon and stay as long as you can. Wear your white shirts and red iVOTE buttons!

Washington, DC — Today, the U.S. House passed House Resolution 1464, which recognized the 50^th anniversary of the United States—Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. This resolution, which was initially co-sponsored by former Rep. Neil Abercrombie, was the first piece of legislation passed of which Congressman Charles Djou (HI-01) was an original co-sponsor.

Washington - According to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 63 percent of Americans are concerned about keeping the budget deficit down. With such a resounding majority of Americans clamoring to cut spending, this begs the question: Is Democrat candidate Colleen Hanabusa?

“I am confident that General David Petraeus will bring the necessary skills and vision to ensure a smooth transition in leadership. As we move forward, we must all re-commit ourselves to turning back al-Qaeda and the Taliban. For our men and women in uniform, this will mean continuing their exemplary work. For Congress, and particularly the members of the Armed Services Committee, this will mean ensuring our brave troops get the resources they need to secure victory in Afghanistan and return home safely."

This Jones Act is a 90-year old anachronistic law. It is basically protectionist legislation that limits ships operating in U.S. water to American-flagged vessels. Under normal circumstances in the past there might be some justification for this; but with the situation in the Gulf: we need to stop the spill, we need to clean up the mess and we need to do everything we can to hold BP accountable.

On the campaign trail, I pledged to listen to my constituents.  To that end, I asked my constituents about the issues that Congress is likely to vote on in the next few months.  I also held a live telephone “talk story” and had the privilege of hearing the thoughts and concerns of thousands of my constituents in the 1st congressional district.  I also plan on holding eight “talk stories” throughout the State in early July.

“The biggest concern I hear about on a regular basis from my constituents is the out-of-control spending in Washington, D.C.  We’re simply spending too much money on programs that don’t work with no plan to pay it back. This is irresponsible."

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today released three lists of nominees for three circuit court judges that were provided to her by the Judicial Selection Commission.   The nominees, some of whom are on more than one list, will fill three vacancies on the Circuit Court of the First Circuit which covers the island of O‘ahu.  The Governor is inviting the public to submit comments on the nominees as part of her review and selection process.

In order to avoid a vote on the record trillion-dollar deficits they are responsible for accumulating since taking office, Democrats have confirmed that they will be the first House majority that has failed to pass an annual budget resolution since the Congressional Budget Act was adopted in 1974.

 Rep. Djou At the Ewa Hongwangi Bon Dance

She was joined by Ann Wright, 63, of Honolulu, Hawaii, who wore a BP hard hat, overalls and sunglasses adorned with dollar signs.

"BP doesn't really care about this," she said, pulling out an oil-stained rubber ducky.

The Jones Act may also have played a role in delaying the construction of sand barriers to protect the fragile Louisiana coast. Mr. Visser, the Dutch consul, says American dredging companies, which lack the dike-building expertise of the Dutch, rebuffed Dutch offers of help, which might have meant running afoul of the Jones Act.

For the longer term, Mr. Djou is about to introduce a bill to exempt his home state of Hawaii from the law. Hawaii is hit hardest by the law because most goods arrive by sea. Despite the political power of unions locally, Mr. Djou is pressing forward.

The commission may go beyond the allegations made by the complainant if investigators feel there are any other irregularities.

“We could add additional counts to the complaint or file an additional complaint. At my discretion, I can file a complaint,” Wong said. “The commission has the opportunity to decide whether there is probable cause that a violation or violations occurred, whether to dismiss the complaint, whether to ask for additional investigation or whether to refer it to the prosecutor."

A prosecutor gets involved only in cases where willful or intentional violations are found. According to state statute any person who knowingly, intentionally or recklessly violates any provision of campaign spending law faces a misdemeanor. Anyone who knowingly or intentionally falsifies any report required with the intent to circumvent the law or deceive the commission faces a class C felony.

  The authors admit to working at Honolulu Hale.

VIDEO: Republican Congressman Charles Djou, Hawaii, and Jessica Brady, Roll Call reporter, discuss Obama's first Oval Office address regarding the Gulf Oil spill.

“I am disappointed, however, that the President has failed to waive the Jones Act for foreign ships, who want to assist in the clean-up efforts. There is no good reason to turn away international help in responding to this environmental catastrophe.

“Nevertheless, I look forward to working with President Obama to temper the House energy bill and craft a sensible long-term energy strategy for America that makes sense for our economy.”

Washington- With two months passed since their April 15 deadline and still no budget produced by Washington Democrats, the majority in Congress continues to miss opportunities to rein in government spending and provide the fiscal discipline needed to create jobs and grow a healthy economy. Since the Congressional Budget Act was adopted in 1974, the House has never failed to pass a budget resolution, but Colleen Hanabusa and her Washington friends continue to forge ahead with their out-of-control spending spree and still no budget resolution in sight.

POLITICO: Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers, the National Republican Congressional Committee's incumbent retention chair, urged PAC leaders at a briefing Monday to focus on helping just nine GOP members of Congress shore up their bids for re-election, telling attendees that the committee's work had already shielded a substantial group of members from facing any serious challenge in 2010.

"A year and a half ago, I was giving you the names of 30 members and you know what? It worked," Rogers said, according to a source familiar with his remarks. "We feel strongly at this point that only nine incumbents need your help to withstand the attacks by the DCCC and their allies."

“Hawai‘i is the only State in the nation that does not set by statute the minimum number of hours of instructional time a public school student should receive,” said Lt. Governor Aiona. “Our families, principals and teachers deserve a public school system that ensures our students have the tools and classroom time needed to succeed.”

Hawai‘i has the shortest amount of instructional time in the nation – 4 hours and 43 minutes per day.  Thirty-two states average 5-and-a-half hours per day of instructional time (990 hours per school year) and 16 states mandate a minimum of 6 hours of instruction per day (1,080 hours per school year).

It is unfortunate that State Rep. Tom Brower believes Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, as acting Governor, should sign or veto the civil unions bill (HB 444) behind the back of Governor Linda Lingle while she is on an economic mission to China.

Brower should not be doling out political advice, especially since he voted for HB 444 only days before turning on his Democrat colleagues for reviving the issue.

While Brower’s deceptive politics may pass in a State Legislature overrun with 90 percent of its members from one party, Lt. Governor Duke Aiona believes government works best with balance, integrity and accountability.

With the DCCC’s help Ed Case came in dead last.  And now, they are going to do the same for “longtime insider” Hanabusa.  A DCCC news release sent out this morning announces Hanabusa is being included in the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” program....

“Over the course of the past two years of a Democrat-led supermajority, Colleen Hanabusa and her Washington friends have pushed the economy into a jobless recovery by supporting an anti-jobs, anti-small-business agenda at the expense of a healthy economy,”

On the Failure of Congress to Pass a Budget:

“A perfect representation of the problems we have here on Capitol Hill is the failure of Congress to pass a budget. I mean, that’s one of the most basic things any private business, any family would do to get its fiscal house in order. But here in the United States Congress we have yet to pass a budget and it’s already mid-June. This is irresponsible.”

Washington, DC — Congressman Charles Djou (HI-01) issued the following statement today reacting to the selection of AECOM as the EIS contractor for the Big Wind Project....

"The Honolulu Mayor has used taxpayer dollars to advocate for the reckless rail transit project, he raked in more than $200,000 from donors linked to government contractors in the last six months of 2009, and now he's raising big money from consultants seeking rail contracts.  While he's whacking the rail transit piñata for all the goodies he can get, he's raising property taxes and increasing fees on just about every other service the city provides.  Is this the kind of leadership Hawaii deserves?"

“We must ensure that the connection between the United States and the Philippines remains strong. One of my priorities in Congress is to strengthen our nation’s ties to the Philippines and expand the number of visas that our government issues, particularly to the Philippines,” Djou continued.

RepCharlesDjou — June 10, 2010 — Congressman Djou gave the following speech from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives discussing the nation's fiscal situation and the need for a budget that puts our nation's fiscal house in order.

Washington- The nation’s chief economist warned yesterday that America’s fiscal path is unsustainable and called for swift action to manage a growing national debt crisis, but Democrat candidate Colleen Hanabusa's Washington friends still refuse to do the necessary work to lead the country back to fiscal stability. While Democrats still refuse to create a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testified to the House Budget Committee yesterday that it’s time for Congress to act....

“Charles Djou built his career fighting for limited government and against raising taxes.  In his first major act as Djou's replacement on the City Council, Lee Donohue voted to dramatically expand government spending and increase taxes.  Councilmember Donohue's votes are so typical of politics as usual in Hawai'i and a perfect example of how unique, important and needed Congressman Djou's voice is in our government."

Rep. Djou: Second series of questions, Dr. Bernanke, and that is I have been frustrated and disappointed that there have been a number of free trade agreements languishing in Congress. Do you believe that were the Congress to pass free trade or expansion of free trade, it would help the economy?

Bernanke: Yes I do. I think we need to be part of the globalized economy, I think trade is an important source of demand for our goods and also a source of materials and imports as well. So I think that generally speaking, you ought to push forward on the DOHA round and on the free trade agreements that we’re looking at.

WSJ: It took Charles Djou, the new Republican Congressman from Hawaii, to put it bluntly to Bernanke. Should there be “additional fiscal stimulus?” 

And Bernanke answered as bluntly as a Fed Chairman ever will, “If you (Congress) decide to do more fiscal stimulus, then it would be very helpful to combine that with a plan for a fiscal exit strategy.”

Everyone in that hearing room got the joke. Congress not only has no plan for a fiscal exit strategy. It can’t even be trusted to come up with one. That’s why we now have a presidential bipartisan debt commission.

For Reps. Mark Critz and Charles Djou, the Washington axiom of a “permanent campaign” has never been more apt.

The capital’s newest congressmen have been in office less than a month, but the looming November election has forced them to begin their legislative careers in full campaign mode.

“Hawaii needs legislators that understand that the States created the Federal Government and that the Tenth Amendment exists to ensure that Hawaii is run by the people of Hawaii and not entrenched politicians half a world away. Hawaii needs leadership to say that we will not give up our state sovereignty and individual liberty for a few dollars more and courage to make hard decisions like cutting taxes and admitting that government shouldn’t be responsible for every aspect of our lives from cradle to grave."

“This is a great day for East Honolulu,” said Rep. Ward.  “In the beginning, we were told that such a reclassification couldn’t be done due to a lack of resources and time, plus it hadn’t been done anywhere for more than a decade.  But we all worked together as a community with the Governor’s office and now the preservation of the Ka Iwi coast has become a reality.”

This weekend, however, the forces who want Hawaii's government to maintain the failed status quo consolidated their opposition to our campaign at the Democrat Party convention.  This is not unexpected. We never thought the establishment would simply give up without a fight - they have too much to lose.

I personally wish Ed Case well.  However, with Ed gone from this race, we are alone in being the voice for the mainstream across Hawaii. I look forward to this critical fight for Hawaii's families against entrenched special interests.

Washington- A temporary boost in government hiring has padded jobs numbers for the month of May, but the 9.7 percent unemployment rate belies just how badly the runaway spending agenda pushed by Colleen Hanabusa’s Democrat friends has failed Hawaii families. The spike in jobs is simply a reflection of over 410,000 new census workers being added to the government’s payrolls at the taxpayers’ expense.

Congressman Charles K. Djou (R-HI) reacted to the Honolulu City Council Executive Matters and Legal Affairs ("EMLA") Committee's recommendation of attorney and former HCDA Chair, Jonathan Lai, to succeed him on the City Council.

Case: "Hanabusa has to understand the deep disillusionment and frustration that many of us of any political party or no political party feel in the system of politics in Hawaii today and in our country. We don't want power to be trumping principle and people. We don't want division, we want unity. We don't want extremism, we want consensus. We don't want exclusion, we want inclusion. And those are the things that we all want desperately." 

(In other words, she has to stop being Colleen Hanabusa.)

The Governor’s order establishes the Duke Kahanamoku Surfing Reserve, which includes surf breaks bounded by the Ala Wai and the Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium, as well as the North Shore Surfing Reserve, which includes surf breaks from Ali‘i Beach in Hale‘iwa to Sunset Beach.  Both surf reserves are located off the waters of O‘ahu. 

Just as in the 2006 Senate Primary race, Ed Case has once again been forced to abandon any hope of achieving change within the Hawaii Democratic Party.

“Hannemann has had months to formulate an opinion on one of the state’s most pressing issues.  In the past Hannemann dodged taking a stand on HB 444 because he wasn’t an official candidate.  Now that he’s announced and all the fan fare is over, he continues to skirt the issue.  It is clear Mufi lacks the courage and backbone to speak to his values."

“With O‘ahu residents being the greatest beneficiaries of the Superferry, it is curious that Mayor Hannemann was noticeably absent from the discussion at the time.  Yet now, as is his nature, he wants to blame others. 

“The fact is that the decision to stop the Superferry was the result of a Supreme Court ruling which was a far-reaching interpretation that heretofore had never been applied to any new maritime operation in the state.”

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Charles Djou (HI-01) received two key committee assignments today on the important House Budget and Armed Services Committees as he begins serving Hawaii's First Congressional District. Congressman Djou issued the following statements . . . .

"In the same move of removing restraint on one end of the charter school pipeline, this legislation effectively places a new constraint on the other end, which ultimately lessens the funding available for charters.  Especially as the number of charters continues to grow, charter schools will unfortunately see fewer and fewer dollars available."

Some in the UH Hilo community are shocked and surprised by UH Board of Regents' unanimous May 20 decision selecting Donald O Straney, Dean of Biological Sciences at Cal Poly Pomona, to take the place of UH Hilo's retiring Chancellor Rose Tseng. Others, such as UHPA President AJ Musto, are surprised by the transfer of Rockne Freitas to head up UH's legislative lobbying as UH Vice President of student affairs and university and community relations.

They shouldn't be....

(Vacancy is to be) (f)illed by a special election to be called by the Council within 10 days and to be held within 60 days after occurrence of the vacancy. If any special or general election is to be held in the City after 30 days and within 180 days after the occurrence of the vacancy, the election shall be held in conjunction with such other election.

“Hannemann has raised property taxes, sewer fees, admission fees, motor vehicle fees, parking meter rates and pushed for the general excise tax increase. Under his watch, Honolulu was named the 2nd most expensive city to do business in.  He is leaving office early to campaign for Governor, and he's given no guarantee that he will not jump ship again to run for U.S. Senate in 2012.

“Hawai’i can expect the same reckless leadership, strong-arming from the old guard Democrat network and closed-door bargaining with public labor union bosses at the state level with Hannemann as Hawai’i’s governor.

“This November, Republican candidates will be the voices of bold leadership and change Hawai’i needs.  We are confident in the leadership of Lt. Governor Duke Aiona and know Hawai’i voters recognize his commitment to enhancing Hawai’i’s economy through responsible government spending and investment in the private sector.”