HI SR79

Requests Congress to exempt Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico from the Jones Act's requirement that oceangoing ships engaged in domestic trade be built in the U.S., while maintaining existing requirements for U.S.-flagging, U.S.-ownership, and U.S.-crewed vessels.

Argues the U.S.-build requirement creates an aging, inefficient fleet in noncontiguous jurisdictions, as U.S. shipbuilding costs are 4-5 times higher than international competitors and production averages fewer than 3 deep-draft merchant ships annually.

Notes the exemption would not affect tug and barge industries, intercoastal trades, inland waterways, or Great Lakes shipping, and would enable access to cheaper foreign-built vessels for LNG transport and petroleum products.

Cites support from Federal Reserve Bank of New York, World Economic Forum, Government Accountability Office, and Guam's legislature regarding negative economic impacts of the Jones Act on noncontiguous jurisdictions.

Urges Hawaii's congressional delegation and Governor to work with counterparts from Alaska, Guam, and Puerto Rico to introduce federal legislation granting this limited exemption for large self-propelled oceangoing ships.