National Taxpayers Union on Friday thanked President Donald Trump for waiving the Jones Act for an additional 90 days for several energy-related products and fertilizer to mitigate supply disruptions resulting from conflict in the Middle East.
The Jones Act has snarled domestic shipping for over a century by requiring that goods transported domestically over water use ships that are primarily U.S.-owned, U.S.-crewed, and U.S.-built. According to the federal government, the law’s goal is to create a coastwise monopoly for shipping. Similar restrictions do not apply to domestic cargo transportation via land or air.
President Trump’s action addresses Americans’ concerns about affordability by reducing the costs imposed by an antiquated law that creates bottlenecks for maritime commerce.
“Extending the Jones Act waiver will help Americans by facilitating the transportation of products like heating oil and gasoline beyond November 15,” NTU Free Trade Initiative Director Bryan Riley said.
A recent poll released by National Taxpayers Union showed strong support for a waiver extension. The poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, found that 73% of registered voters favored extending the waiver.
“This action will promote affordability, strengthen U.S. national security, and boost economic resilience,” Riley said.
The action extends the more restrictive version of the Jones Act waiver issued on August 17, which required the federal government to approve individual voyages. The initial two waivers included a far less restrictive process that yielded significantly more commerce. Those waivers led to two voyages a day on average. The more-restrictive August waiver led to just one voyage every other day. Reverting to the initial waivers would help alleviate the higher costs imposed on consumers due to this harmful, outdated law.
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