Video above shows a portion of the July 2, 2014 U.S. Senate candidate forum held at Sangha Hall in Hilo, Hawaii. Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa is challenging incumbent Senator Brian Schatz for the position.

Video by Tim Bryan, Forum Moderated by Sherry Bracken

HILO, Hawaii – Candidates shared a common philosophy on The Jones Act. Moderator Sherry Bracken asked:

The Merchant Marine act, also known as the Jones Act, was enacted in the 1920’s and requires any cargo carrier bringing goods between the mainland of the United States and Hawaii to be a United States flag, and a United States built ship. Some believe this adds to the cost of goods for Hawaii residents.

Please comment on the Jones Act and whether there should be a modification or exemption or whether the Jones Act works well for Hawaii in its current form.”Sherry Bracken – July 2, 2014

I fully support the Jones Act I don’t support amending it or repealing it or providing any exemptions and here’s why. There is a reason that every Secretary of Defense going back to Ronald Reagan, every secretary of the Navy going back to Ronald Reagan, and every president has supported the Jones Act and that’s because we need the industrial shipbuilding capacity for United States Navy. This is a national security and national defense issue.”Sen. Brian Schatz – July 2, 2014

We have expensive land costs. Imagine what it would be like if we had to warehouse goods and produce that comes in from the mainland.

I would love to see sustainable-all-the-way but remember the one thing that we do have are those containers and when the containers come in they act like mobile warehouses. the fact that it is Jones Act in the fact that it is regulated also gives the states the ability to say that ‘you will provide services to the neighbor islands.’ look at what it would be like to gives goods and services to Lanai or Molokai, or even Oahu to here. What would that be like? What would that costs be, if you didn’t have the ability to have containerized shipments, that is refrigerated, that can bring produce in, that can bring milk in, that can bring all these other products in?”Rep. Colleen Hanabusa – July 2, 2014

SPECIAL VIDEO SECTION: Schatz vs. Hanabusa (July 2, 2014)

1. Introduction
2. Social Security
3. Economy
4. Kona Airport Customs
5. Fish & Wildlife Designations
6. Lending Restrictions
7. Native Hawaiian Education
8. Jones Act
9. Healthcare and Medicare
10. Pohakuloa Training Area, Saddle Road
11. Hawaii’s High Energy Rates
12. GMO
13. Closing

The event was sponsored by the Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawaii, Hawaii Island REALTORS®, Hawaii Island Contractors’ Association, Kanoelehua Industrial Area Association and the Hawaii Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce. It was open to the community free of charge.