HI SCR113

Requests Congress to exempt Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico from the U.S.-build requirement of the Jones Act (Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) for large self-propelled oceangoing ships in noncontiguous domestic trades.

Notes that the Jones Act restricts cargo transport between U.S. coastwise points to vessels that are U.S.-built, U.S.-flag, U.S.-owned, and U.S.-crewed, creating artificial scarcity and high shipping costs that disproportionately burden noncontiguous jurisdictions with less than 2% of the U.S. population.

Argues the U.S.-build requirement is not essential for national defense, as domestic shipyards produce fewer than three deep-draft merchant ships annually and focus mainly on naval construction, while the Jones Act fleet averages 30 years old compared to a 12-year international average.

Urges Hawaii's congressional delegation and Governor David Ige to work with delegations from Alaska, Guam, and Puerto Rico to introduce and support federal legislation granting the exemption.

Directs transmission of the resolution to the President, Congress, Secretary of Transportation, and state/territorial governors to formally request support for exempting noncontiguous trades from the Jones Act's U.S.-build requirement.