As Congress begins its mid-term recess, a clear majority of the House of Representatives have endorsed the Jones Act. As of today (November 14), 237 House members have signed House Continuing Resolution 65, a statement of full support for the Jones Act. (218 signers constitute a simple majority of the House.)
The Jones Act is one of several U.S. "Cabotage" laws and reserves the movement of cargo between U.S. ports to ships which are U.S.-owned, U.S.-built and U.S.-crewed. Although the Jones Act dates from 1920, the United States has had Cabotage laws since 1789 and these laws have fostered a domestic fleet second to none. The U.S.-Flag Great Lakes is the largest assemblage of self-unloading vessels in the world. For information on how the Jones Act benefits other regions of the country, please visit the homepage of the Maritime Cabotage Task Force, the national organization promoting the U.S. Cabotage laws.
Legislation to largely repeal the Jones Act has been introduced in the House and Senate, but support is anemic and neither bill received hearings.
The 75 Great Lakes legislators who have signed H. Con. Res. 65 to date are, by state:
