The Jones Act: Critical to U.S. Shipbuilding, Or an Outdated Burden on U.S. Consumers? (From The National Interest)

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump demonstrated his commitment to a strong U.S. economy, to job growth and to national security by the simple act of refusing to sign a waiver to the Jones Act that would have permitted foreign-flagged liquid natural gas (LNG) carriers to operate between U.S. ports. The Jones Act is a nearly 100-year-old law that requires cargoes carried between U.S. ports be carried in vessels built in the United States, operated under the U.S. flag and crewed by American seamen. It is vital to sustaining the American shipbuilding and repair industry and to the maintenance of a fleet of commercial cargo ships and the mariners who operate them. Without this fleet, the United States would be unable to project significant military forces into foreign theaters or sustain them once deployed. President Trump also set the stage for the construction of American-built and -operated LNG tankers. I have written about this subject here.