The Jones Act is a “costly, counterproductive barrier to efficient commerce. Its repeal is long overdue.”
Arlington, VA – A coalition of national and state-based organizations, spearheaded by Americans for Prosperity, today sent a letter to Congress urging it to make President Trump’s Jones Act waiver permanent “by repealing this outdated law.”
“The current U.S.-Iran engagement and resulting energy disruptions underscore the urgency of the temporary waiver. But long after the worldwide energy disruptions are gone, the Jones Act will still be making everything cost more – unless it is repealed,” said the coalition.
While the temporary waiver is already producing meaningful benefits, the coalition said permanent repeal of the Jones Act is needed to fully unlock a more efficient and resilient trade system.
The Jones Act requires that goods transported between U.S. ports be carried on ships that are U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged, U.S.-owned, and crewed primarily by Americans. The letter says these restrictions drive up shipping costs and create unnecessary barriers to the movement of essential goods, with the costs eventually trickling down to American consumers.
“President Trump’s recent waiver to ‘allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports’ underscores the need to repeal this law permanently. Without the Jones Act, markets will function better, supply will increase, and costs will decline. By contrast, every day the law remains in force it constrains supply, stifles competition, and drives up costs for American families. These impacts fall especially hard on residents of noncontiguous states and territories such as Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.”
The signatories include advocacy and policy organizations spanning taxpayer, consumer, small business, energy, and other public policy interests.
“Permanently repealing the Jones Act would lower everyday costs for American families,” said Katelyn Bledsoe, Vice President of External Affairs at Americans for Prosperity. “We look forward to working with the administration and Congress to address the affordability crisis by expanding competition, strengthening supply chains, and putting American consumers first.”
“Eliminating the Jones Act would be a positive step in that direction,” Bledsoe said.
The full letter is available here.
Through broad-based grassroots outreach, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is driving long-term solutions to the country’s biggest problems. AFP activists engage friends and neighbors on key issues and encourage them to take an active role in building a culture of mutual benefit, where people succeed by helping one another. AFP recruits and unites activists in all 50 states behind a common goal of advancing policies that will help people improve their lives. For more information, visit www.AmericansForProsperity.org
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