Posted:
January 18, 2015
The following letter dated January 15 was sent by Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation in the House of Representatives, to Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and Senator John Thune (R-SD), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
As the Senate considers legislation on the Keystone pipeline and other energy and security measures, I urge you to oppose efforts to weaken the Jones Act. The Jones Act keeps jobs, ships and a maritime skill base in the United States - and any effort to diminish this longstanding law is sure to negatively impact America's maritime industry and its significant contributions to the national economy.
Chapter 551 of title 46 United States Code, popularly known as the Jones Act, is the United States domestic cabotage law. It requires that vessels carrying passengers or merchandise between any two points in the United States be U.S. flagged, U.S. crewed, U.S. built, and U.S. owned. These requirements ensure that the United States retains a minimum core of shipbuilders and ship operators, and their skills and capabilities, in the United States. Further, this guarantees that we will not be held hostage to whims and dictates of foreign ship owners and operators, or foreign mariners when ships and mariners are needed to respond to disasters or support national security requirements.
U.S. companies are investing significantly in the Jones Act, particularly in the area of energy transportation. Congress should be supporting, not undermining, those investments in U.S. jobs and U.S. skills. I urge you to oppose any effort - including amendments that might be offered in your committee - to weaken the Jones Act.
Thank you for your consideration. And please let me know if you have any questions or wish to discuss the importance of the Jones Act to U.S. national security and to the retention of U.S. jobs and maritime industry skills.
Congressman Hunter: I urge you to oppose efforts to weaken the Jones Act
The following letter dated January 15 was sent by Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation in the House of Representatives, to Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and Senator John Thune (R-SD), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
As the Senate considers legislation on the Keystone pipeline and other energy and security measures, I urge you to oppose efforts to weaken the Jones Act. The Jones Act keeps jobs, ships and a maritime skill base in the United States - and any effort to diminish this longstanding law is sure to negatively impact America's maritime industry and its significant contributions to the national economy.
Chapter 551 of title 46 United States Code, popularly known as the Jones Act, is the United States domestic cabotage law. It requires that vessels carrying passengers or merchandise between any two points in the United States be U.S. flagged, U.S. crewed, U.S. built, and U.S. owned. These requirements ensure that the United States retains a minimum core of shipbuilders and ship operators, and their skills and capabilities, in the United States. Further, this guarantees that we will not be held hostage to whims and dictates of foreign ship owners and operators, or foreign mariners when ships and mariners are needed to respond to disasters or support national security requirements.
U.S. companies are investing significantly in the Jones Act, particularly in the area of energy transportation. Congress should be supporting, not undermining, those investments in U.S. jobs and U.S. skills. I urge you to oppose any effort - including amendments that might be offered in your committee - to weaken the Jones Act.
Thank you for your consideration. And please let me know if you have any questions or wish to discuss the importance of the Jones Act to U.S. national security and to the retention of U.S. jobs and maritime industry skills.