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Colleen Hanabusa on Free Trade

 

 


Supports 1920 Jones Act: only US ships HI to West Coast

When large container ships leave China for the U.S., they don't stop in Hawaii to unload cargo bound for that state before continuing to Los Angeles or Seattle. Under a 93-year-old US law, the Jones Act, only US-made, US-flagged ships can deliver goods between US ports. If a Chinese ship stopped in Hawaii to drop-off cargo, and then picked up, say, a load of Hawaiian coffee, it could not unload that coffee in another US port. Chinese-made goods to be sold in Hawaii are routinely unloaded on the West Coast, and then loaded back onto another US ship for the 2,500 mile trip back to the island state.

Passed in 1920 by isolationist lawmakers, the act was meant to protect the nation's shipping industry from foreign competition. Rep. Djou proposed an exemption to allow some foreign vessels to carry cargo between the US & Hawaii. Djou couldn't muster support for the bill. "It went nowhere," he says. Djou lost his reelection bid to Colleen Hanabusa (D), who enthusiastically supports the Jones Act.

Source: Business Week on 2014 Hawaii Senate race , Dec 12, 2013

Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency.

Hanabusa signed Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act

[Explanatory note from Wikipedia.com "Exchange Rate"]:

Between 1994 and 2005, the Chinese yuan renminbi was pegged to the US dollar at RMB 8.28 to $1. Countries may gain an advantage in international trade if they manipulate the value of their currency by artificially keeping its value low. It is argued that China has succeeded in doing this over a long period of time. However, a 2005 appreciation of the Yuan by 22% was followed by a 39% increase in Chinese imports to the US. In 2010, other nations, including Japan & Brazil, attempted to devalue their currency in the hopes of subsidizing cheap exports and bolstering their ailing economies. A low exchange rate lowers the price of a country's goods for consumers in other countries but raises the price of imported goods for consumers in the manipulating country.

Source: HR.639&S.328 11-HR0639 on Feb 14, 2011

Sponsored imposing import fee on countries with undervalued currency.

Hanabusa co-sponsored Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act

Congressional Summary:Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to include a countervailing duty or antidumping duty on merchandise imported into the US from foreign countries with fundamentally undervalued currency.

Opponent's argument against bill: (by the Club for Growth)We urge all House members to not co-sponsor the protectionist Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act. This proposal would make it easier for the federal government to slap

Source: H.R.1276 13-H1276 on Mar 20, 2013

Rated 50% by the USAE, indicating a mixed record on trade.

Hanabusa scores 50% by USA*Engage on trade issues

Ratings by USA*Engage indicate support for trade engagement or trade sanctions. The organization's self-description: "USA*Engage is concerned about the proliferation of unilateral foreign policy sanctions at the federal, state and local level. Despite the fact that broad trade-based unilateral sanctions rarely achieve our foreign policy goals, they continue to have political appeal. Unilateral sanctions give the impression that the United States is 'doing something,' while American workers, farmers and businesses absorb the costs."

VoteMatch scoring for the USA*Engage ratings is as follows :

Source: USA*Engage 2011-2012 ratings on Congress and politicians 2012-USAE on Dec 31, 2012

Other candidates on Free Trade: Colleen Hanabusa on other issues:
HI Gubernatorial:
David Ige
Duke Aiona
Neil Abercrombie
HI Senatorial:
Daniel Inouye
Mazie Hirono

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Retiring in 2014 election:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Retired as of Jan. 2013:
AZ:Kyl(R)
CT:Lieberman(D)
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ND:Conrad(D)
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Senate races 2017-8:
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Page last updated: Aug 24, 2017