PROVIDED/Kevin Sweeney (Images for Element U.S. Space & Defense.July 2024.©Jeremy Messler Photography LLC)
An expert panel from the U.S. military, think tanks and academia will discuss U.S. national security, trade policy and the Jones Act at Stockton University next week.
The event is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, at the Campus Center Theater in Galloway Township.
Sponsored by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton, it will address how far the U.S. should go to protect its national security and economic interests. It is open to the public and admission is free.
Rear Admiral Kevin M. Sweeney will serve as moderator.
As former chief of staff to the 26th Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis, Sweeney was the primary adviser across the full spectrum of national security issues, from great power competition to counterterrorism missions.
He oversaw the Department of Defense’s strategic initiatives and daily operations around the world.
Sweeney served more than 32 years as a surface warfare officer before retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2014. He currently serves on the Hughes Center for Public Policy’s Advisory Board.
Paul S. Koffsky, former senior deputy general counsel of the Department of Defense, joins Colin Grabow, associate director at the Cato Institute’s Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, on the panel, bringing a mix of expertise to the table.
Stockton student Camille Benoit, a senior Political Science major and president of the Model UN, will provide a student voice.
The U.S. Naval Institute and others agree that the Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, remains pivotal in the discussion of U.S. maritime policy and naval strategy, trade policy and more.
Panelists will also address the unintended consequences of the Jones Act, particularly as it relates to Puerto Rico, where the economy and disaster relief have been impacted by the law.
The William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University researches public policy and economic issues, fosters public discussion, and promotes civic engagement in New Jersey.
The center provides a forum for public discussion of policy issues to engage citizens and policymakers.
