Republican lawmakers to Trump: “Let Jones Act waiver expire”

The waiver has been strongly opposed by U.S. maritime and Chairman Comer notes that the Jones Act plays a critical role in Kentucky’s economy, protecting barge companies headquartered in Paducah and supporting thousands of maritime jobs in one of the nation’s leading inland maritime hubs.

In a letter to President Donald J. Trump, the Republican lawmakers emphasized that this Administration understands the strategic importance of the Jones Act to U.S. economic and national security interests and encouraged the use of alternative tools to address fuel and fertilizer costs. “We appreciate your longstanding support and attention to the challenges facing our domestic shipping industry. As you outlined in your visionary Maritime Action Plan (MAP), a strong maritime industrial base is essential to the nation’s economic and national security, particularly as the United States works to reinforce its global strategic position. Your acknowledgement in the MAP that less than one percent of new commercial ships are built in the United States underscores the importance of protecting durable domestic maritime policy and safeguarding against foreign encroachment in our nation’s waterways. Our nation’s strongest shield against foreign exploitation of American waterways is the Jones Act, which requires vessels transporting cargo between U.S. ports to be American-built, American-owned, American-crewed, and American-flagged,” wrote the Republican lawmakers.     According to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. maritime system transports more than 760 million tons of cargo annually, including agricultural products, energy resources, and other essential commodities. The current Jones Act waiver, issued to address rising fuel and fertilizer costs, has allowed foreign-flagged vessels to operate in domestic commerce even when U.S.-flagged vessels were available. Data from the Maritime Administration indicates that approximately 95 percent of waiver voyages have been conducted by foreign maritime operators that are not subject to U.S. tax obligations or domestic regulatory requirements.         “The Jones Act ensures that domestic waterborne commerce is conducted by U.S. vessels and mariners rather than by heavily subsidized foreign competitors. Over time, it has helped sustain a safe and reliable commercial fleet, supporting hundreds of thousands of well-paying American maritime jobs. In short, the Jones Act waiver has become a loophole exploited by adversarial countries to erode America’s maritime dominance. We write to respectfully request that the current Jones Act waiver be allowed to expire as scheduled on August 16, 2026, and encourage you to utilize alternative policy tools to address fuel and fertilizer costs while preserving the strength of the American maritime industry. We stand ready to support your continued efforts to strengthen American economic and maritime dominance,” concluded the lawmakers.