With no Jones Act, military cargoes would be transported on foreign ships

If opponents of the Jones Act had their way, the U.S. merchant marine would disappear. The 1920 federal statute is the only mechanism guaranteeing American seafarers work opportunities, humane living conditions and reasonable care for illness and injuries.

Jones Act enemies like Arizona Sen. John McCain have sponsored legislation like S. 3525, the Open America’s Waters Act, which would end up wiping out the entire U.S. fleet. They argue that American seamen are too expensive to make transport of goods and services competitive. Their alternative would be to use flag of convenience companies that loophole around or completely ignore safety rules and operate unseaworthy vessels carrying slave wage earning crews living in deplorable conditions such as sharing “hot racks.”

Sen. McCain and his cohorts should be made aware that if the Jones Act were to be repealed, it would have profound detrimental effects on American national security. By continuing to provide American seafarers with job opportunities, there is a viable supply of workers to transport cargo for military missions.

If the Jones Act and cargo preference laws did not exist, “I can assure you that it is unlikely that ships would remain under the U.S. flag,” said former U.S. Maritime Administrator Capt. William Schubert (source: wikipedia.com).

“The U.S.-citizen mariner pool needed for the Department of Defense in times of national emergency or war would simply disappear.”

This means that the nation would have to rely on foreign ships to protect the national interest.