ARLINGTON, VA – Americans for Prosperity today applauded President Trump for extending the Jones Act waiver a second time, helping ensure American families and businesses have access to affordable and reliable energy. This current waiver is the longest suspension of the Jones Act in the program’s history, and Reuters reports that the exemption has been used almost 200 times over the past several months.
AFP Chief Government Affairs Officer Brent Gardner issued the following statement:
“President Trump deserves credit for putting American families ahead of a century-old protectionist mandate. Extending the Jones Act waiver will help keep energy moving during this critical time, while also furthering the case for the law’s repeal, because temporary waivers are no substitute for permanent reforms. Congress should seize this moment and repeal the Jones Act once and for all.”
The Jones Act (Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) requires that any cargo moving between two U.S. ports travel on vessels that are U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, U.S.-flagged, and U.S.-crewed. More than a century later, fewer than 100 oceangoing vessels qualify, and the U.S. International Trade Commission has estimated the law functions like a 64% tax on domestic sea trade — passed straight to consumers at the pump and the grocery store.
AFP has led a sustained, national effort in 2026 to expose the Jones Act’s economic damage and built support for its repeal, including:
- Launching a six-figure national campaign with targeted digital advertising and mobilizing grassroots constituents to contact their members of Congress, including those serving on key committees.
- Leading a coalition of more than 35 national and state organizations calling for permanent repeal.
- Publishing research and explainers detailing the outdated law’s impact on energy costs, shipping capacity, and supply chains.
- Explaining to Americans why repealing the Jones Act will help lower costs as they face an affordability crisis and how it is a textbook example of government interference weakening our domestic maritime industry.
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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