STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1069

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 182

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 182 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE ENHANCED TRADE AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AMONG MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP AND ENCOURAGING SUPPORT FOR FINALIZATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to express support for the enhanced trade and investment opportunities among member countries of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and encourage Hawaii's Congressional delegation and other leaders to support negotiations to finalize the Partnership.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Australian Consulate-General.

 

     The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a proposed free trade agreement among the United States and various countries having the purpose of stimulating the economies of member nations.  The nations include the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.  The Trans-Pacific Partnership potentially could eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade and investment among the parties.

 

     Hawaii is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean between the continents of Asia, Australia, and North and South America, whose countries bordering the Pacific are part of the Pacific Rim nations.  Your Committees find that the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement will create jobs and promote job retention in the United States and consequently in Hawaii by increasing exports in the Pacific Rim region, which represent more than forty percent of global trade.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 182, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 182, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and International Affairs and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair