House Transportation Leaders Oppose Jones Act Waiver
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The transportation policy leadership at the U.S. House of Representatives recently expressed opposition to waiving the Jones Act amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The 1920 law requires American vessels to be used in the transport of goods between U.S. ports.
“More than 9 million American workers were laid off in recent days, due to a public health crisis that will likely continue for some time,” said Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chairman and ranking member, respectively, in a joint statement on April 2.
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“The Jones Act has been and remains critical to supporting U.S. mariners’ jobs and our maritime industry. Waiving the law, even temporarily, would be a mistake and weaken our domestic maritime supply chain just when we need it the most. We should not risk the jobs of those U.S. workers who move 99 percent of U.S. overseas trade and 100% of our coastwise trade,” added the lawmakers, whose views were shared by House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) and ranking member Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio).
Several oil industry observers have suggested the White House consider a waiver of the Jones Act to assist domestic producers.
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