Jones Act Repeal Reintroduced in House, Senate
The Jones Act -- which requires all goods transported by water between U.S. ports to be carried on vessels made in and crewed by U.S. citizens, under U.S. ownership -- raises costs for Hawaiian, Alaskan and Puerto Rican consumers, its critics say, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., have reintroduced a repeal. The bill, announced May 14, also was introduced during the previous Congress and did not get a hearing.
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“The Jones Act is a protectionist law that drives up the cost of commerce, and those costs ultimately fall on the consumer,” Rep. McClintock said in the press release announcing the bill's introduction. “Just this week, the Jones Act had to be waived to ensure the East Coast had an adequate fuel supply, much like it is often waived to respond to natural disasters in U.S. territories. The solution is not selective waivers in times of distress -- it’s repealing this disastrous law altogether.”