US Congress Backs Jones Act

zoom The United States Senate approved the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (H.R. 3979), which states that the U.S. national security benefits of the domestic maritime industry and the Jones Act are unquestioned, and is seen as the strongest statement of support for the Jones Act and the American domestic maritime industry since the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. The bill states that the Jones Act and the American domestic maritime industry are vital to “the national security and economic vitality of the United States and the efficient operation of the United States transportation system.” The legislation had previously been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, and is expected to be signed into law by the U.S. President. “Today, Congress reaffirmed its support for the American domestic maritime industry, the Jones Act, and the critical role both play in the national security and economic vitality of our nation,” said American Maritime Partnership Chairman Tom Allegretti.“It is hard to imagine a more emphatic and unambiguous statement of support for the Jones Act than this legislation. The fact that it originated from both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees is only further evidence of the national security benefits of the Act and the American domestic maritime industry. In fact, this is the strongest Congressional statement of support for the Jones Act since the Merchant Marine Act of 1936.” The Congressional statement of support for the Jones Act as part of the National Defense Authorization Act specifically states: The national security benefits of the domestic maritime industry are unquestioned as the Department of Defense depends on United States domestic trades’ fleet of container ships, roll-on/roll-off ships, and product tankers to carry military cargoes; The Department of Defense benefits from a robust commercial shipyard and ship repair industry and current growth in that sector is particularly important as Federal budget cuts may reduce the number of new constructed military vessels; and The domestic fleet is essential to national security and was a primary source of mariners needed to crew United States Government-owned sealift vessels activated from reserve status during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in the period 2002 through 2010. Image: NASSCO