Garamendi Statement on Jones Act Waiver Extension

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee and co-author of the SHIPS for America Act, issued the following statement in response to the White House’s 90-day extension of the Jones Act waiver, allowing non-American-flagged ships to transport goods:

“President Trump’s Jones Act waiver is nothing more than a desperate attempt to clean up a crisis of his own making and is another example of him doing the exact opposite of ‘America first.’  

“Let’s be clear: waiving the Jones Act will do absolutely nothing to lower gas prices. The sky-high cost of gas has almost nothing to do with domestic shipping and has everything to do with Trump’s reckless and stupid war of choice in Iran.

“An extension will only damage our maritime industrial base and weaken our national defense by creating an unequal playing field, putting international ships above American vessels. Where American ships must abide by international labor and safety standards, foreign vessels do not. This is not competition, it’s surrender.

“While I can understand why President Trump is trying to reverse his self-made economic and national security calamity after misleading the American public about the justification for, and progress of, the war in Iran, propping up foreign shipping at the expense of American industry is not the solution. Trump is now allowing China to undercut our domestic manufacturers, put Americans out of work, and make us reliant on foreign vessels.

“If we are serious about rebuilding America’s maritime strength, we shouldn’t retreat—we should rebuild, we should compete, and we should put American ships and American workers first.”

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