I support the Jones Act. 

The Jones Act and other cabotage laws were originally established to ensure that America maintained a robust domestic merchant marine fleet in times of war and peace.  Maintaining a robust merchant marine fleet is an absolutely necessary component in ensuring the economic and internal security of our nation. 

If non-US ships were allowed to traverse the domestic waterways and Great Lakes during World War II, it could have been very easy for the Axis powers to infiltrate North America.  In modern times, without proper safeguards in place—as made possible by the Jones Act—terrorists could have ready access to our domestic ports.  Imagine the impact on our security and safety if only foreign countries built or staffed our ships. 

In Hawaii, where the vast majority of all our consumable goods are transported via ships, our most vulnerable transportation access points are our harbors.  Consequently, as a means of ensuring that Hawaii will always have a reliable, safe, and secure mode of ocean shipment, the Jones Act is vital to our long-term economic wellbeing.  While goods shipped to Hawaii may cost slightly more because of the nation’s need to maintain its own merchant marine fleet, in the long run, the Jones Act will help ensure that Hawaii will always have a means to ship and receive goods via ocean transportation.

Finally, we cannot forget that it is the Jones Act that ensures the safe working conditions of the people serving our merchant fleet and our docks.