HI SR81

Request the President and Congress to exempt Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and Puerto Rico from the Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920)

Closure of the Tesoro refinery in Hawaii and reliance on ocean shipping creates vulnerability to fuel and supply disruptions in non-contiguous jurisdictions

Jones Act restrictions increase shipping costs approximately 5.5 times higher than international routes; shipping rates to Hawaii are three times higher than equivalent distances to Hong Kong

Jones Act-compliant ships serving these territories average 28 years old with higher accident risk, compared to international fleet average age of 12 years

Direct certified copies to the President, Congress leadership, Department of Transportation, and the governors and congressional delegations of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam