Repeal the Jones Act to speed Puerto Rico's Recovery

This is a very informative article.. that Trump won't read. He'd rather blame Puerto Rico, cal them lazy and claim they won't help themselves.. Get the facts.

An obscure century-old law is slowing Puerto Rico’s recovery from the devastation of Hurricane Maria, forcing our nation to import more oil, and driving up prices on oil and other products. The law is called the Jones Act and Congress should repeal it.

Puerto Rico is in trouble. Nearly 85 percent of the island’s 3.4 million American citizens remain without electric power, water pumps on half the island aren’t working, and fuel and truck shortages are preventing food and supplies from being delivered to many areas. Authorities say it could take at least three and as many as six months to restore electricity to all residents.

As a result, Puerto Rico is being punished for being part of the United States. Any other country – Jamaica, Canada or even Spain – can import fuel, food and supplies from the United States at a fraction of the price. But Puerto Rico pays a premium.

The recovery of Puerto Rico could progress much more rapidly if the Jones Act was wiped off the books. The law, officially called the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, says that all shipments between U.S. ports must be on ships made in the United States, manned by a U.S. crew.


It costs much more money to transport items on U.S. ships, because the Jones Act protects the U.S. shipping industry from foreign competition, allowing U.S. shippers to charge far higher prices.

In fact, economists have estimated that just from 1970 to 2012, the Jones Act raised the costs of bringing all sorts of goods into Puerto Rico by nearly $29 billion. These higher costs contributed to Puerto Rico declaring bankruptcy in May because it is $74 billion in debt.

While President Trump announced Sept. 28 that he was suspending the Jones Act for Puerto Rico for 10 days as an emergency measure, that period ended Sunday and now the Jones Act is back in force for the island.

As a result, Puerto Rico is being punished for being part of the United States. Any other country – Jamaica, Canada or even Spain – can import fuel, food and supplies from the United States at a fraction of the price. But Puerto Rico pays a premium.

Similarly, Puerto Rico must import liquefied natural gas for its power plants, but there are no ships complying with the Jones Act large enough to transport that much gas from the U.S. Gulf Coast. Instead, Puerto Rico imports liquefied natural gas from Trinidad & Tobago. Low-cost gas from the mainland United States is sent to Asia, Europe, and South America instead, transported on the ships of other nations.

How will Puerto Rico recover when it must pay extra for every item it needs in the recovery—every gallon of diesel, every bottle of water, every new truck to deliver supplies, every piece of equipment to repair its infrastructure?

Repealing the Jones Act can also help ensure that more Americans share in our country’s new energy wealth. Thanks to shale, the United States is now the world’s largest producer of petroleum. And Puerto Ricans aren’t the only Americans who could benefit from this new production. East Coast oil refineries also need the kind of light, clean oil that has fueled the Texas oil boom.

But there aren’t enough Jones Act ships to carry Texas oil to the East Coast. Instead, Texas oil is shipped to Canada, Latin America and Europe, and the East Coast imports oil from Africa and the Middle East. Repealing the Jones Act would allow Americans on the East Coast to benefit from the shale boom, cut shipping costs and put downward pressure on fuel prices.

Repealing the Jones Act could also start reconciling factions in American politics that are now consumed with a fight about whether there should be more or less regulation. This debate is not helpful because it is not specific enough. Regulations cost Americans money but some are well worth it to protect our health and environment.

President Trump has said he wants to get rid of old regulations that are costing Americans money without doing any good. Repealing the Jones Act would be a great first step. Puerto Rico and the rest of our nation would benefit.

James W. Coleman is a law professor at Southern Methodist University follow him on Twitter @EnergyLawProf.



http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/10/11/repeal-jones-act-to-speed-puerto-rico-recovery.html

 

Time for a reality check...........

 

Puerto Rico must import liquefied natural gas for its power plants, but there are no ships complying with the Jones Act large enough to transport that much gas from the U.S. Gulf Coast. Instead, Puerto Rico imports liquefied natural gas from Trinidad & Tobago.

Low-cost gas from the mainland United States is sent to Asia, Europe, and South America instead, transported on the ships of other nations.

 

The fix is simple.

Give Puerto Rico it's independence and let them figure it out themselves.

 

Sounds like you'd rather punish PR after a devastating hurricane rather than get rid of onerous regulations... Oh Trump said he was going to get rid of regulations.

...

And Puerto Ricans aren’t the only Americans who could benefit from this new production. East Coast oil refineries also need the kind of light, clean oil that has fueled the Texas oil boom.

But there aren’t enough Jones Act ships to carry Texas oil to the East Coast. Instead, Texas oil is shipped to Canada, Latin America and Europe, and the East Coast imports oil from Africa and the Middle East.

Repealing the Jones Act would allow Americans on the East Coast to benefit from the shale boom, cut shipping costs and put downward pressure on fuel prices.

 

No, we didn't give a **** about Puerto Rico before and the hurricane hasn't changed anything.

 

Punishing? Giving them their freedom is punishment?

Nothing in what you wrote makes any sense.

All the Jones Act does is require shipping BETWEEN US ports to be US ships instead of foreign ships.

The Jones Act does not in any way impede Puerto Rico from ordering supplies from foreign countries to be shipped directly to Puerto Rico.

The Jones Act does not stop foreign ships from foreign ports traveling directly to the US and unloading.

Again, all it does is stop a foreign ship from loading supplies in New York and delivering them to a port in Florida, for example. Thats. It.

The Jones Act eyeball clawing is a sham and a lie.

 

You have a law degree?

 

They are US citizens.......

 

Oh would you like to focus on me now and derail your own thread?

I can't help but notice your knee jerk reaction resulting from your inability to refute what I wrote.

I know exactly what this is about.

More open borders bull**** cloaked in "OMG SAVE TEH PERTO RIKANS"

 

The purpose of the Jones Act is to protect American flag shipping

Something the whole country needs

 

The article was written by a lawyer...

Puerto Ricans are US citizens just like Texans and Floridians.

Has NOTHING to do with open borders. All 3.5 million Puerto Ricans can move to the US any time they choose.

 

The article was written by a lawyer...

Puerto Ricans are US citizens just like Texans and Floridians.

Has NOTHING to do with open borders. All 3.5 million Puerto Ricans can move to the US any time they choose.

 

It protect non competitive US shipping that cost Americans and especially Puerto Ricans MORE money.

 

I don't care who wrote it.

Please explain why Puerto Rico can't order supplies from foreign countries and have them shipped directly to PR.

Please explain why the US would want to gut our own shipping industry.

Please explain why the US would want foreign ships sailing up and down it's coasts between ports.

End the US Imperialism of Puerto Rico! Give them their freedom.

Also, it has everything to do with open borders.

What you're talking about is outsourcing more US jobs to foreign governments.

No thanks.

 

It protect non competitive US shipping that cost Americans and especially Puerto Ricans MORE money.

 

You want to dump Americans because they were hit by a devastating hurricane? 85% of the island still has no electricity.. How's that for Trump's response. Is he as racist as yourself?

 

Ummm. Jones Act was suspended 2 weeks ago.



To the broader point, I see no reason for the Jones Act to stay in law and would have no issues with repeal.

 

You want to dump Americans because they were hit by a devastating hurricane? 85% of the island still has no electricity.. How's that for Trump's response. Is he as racist as yourself?

 

Trump waited a week to suspend it and then the suspension expired.

He suspended it immediately for Texas and Florida right after Harvey and Irma.

 

Isn't it equally racist to assume that PR can't rebuild on their own simply because they are from PR.

 

Before Maria I had no clue what the Jones Act even was. Are you sure he didn't know his previous acts didn't also include PR or that PR was subject to the law?

He acted quickly and appropriately to Harvey and Irma, I can't really see a reason why he would have acted so wrongly here without some type of reasoning behind it.

 

Trump is very stupid.. Now he's threatening to pull federal help out of PR.. and get this.. Those idiots at FEMA put out flyers telling people to register ON LINE.. while 85% of the island has NO electricity much less phone service.

 

So what? They have leeched off the U.S., done nothing constructive with their country, hate America, and always have their hands out. They were broke before the hurricane hit, and will be broke again no matter how much we give them. They're just another useless Latin American country that can't accomplish anything by themselves.

 

Everything in Puerto costs more including gas, food and building materials because of the Jones Act.