Jones Act Gasoline Waiver Impact: Negligible

“The current waiver initially issued in March and subsequently extended in August, has resulted in the loss of millions of dollars to our domestic maritime industry with work instead going to foreign flag vessels that undercut cheaper labor. Approximately 95% completed waiver voyages primarily benefit maritime operators that do not pay U.S. tax dollars, pay taxes or comply with the US immigration laws. We need to make sure, and I think you’ll agree, that we protect our American vessels to make sure that they’re correct, that Jones Act is a way of doing that.”

— Rep. Troy Carter
House Homeland Security Committee FY27 DHS Budget Request Hearing

“I would love to talk to you about Jones Act waiver tax parity… but I really want to ask you where you see this landscape now with China, having been very active in the Chinese meetings, and this issue of trying to move on from the tariff debate…”

— Sen. Maria Cantwell
Senate Finance Committee hearing on the FY27 Treasury Budget

“If the waiver is extended again, what would that mean for investments in shipyards and workforce development? Does it create uncertainty? We certainly don’t want that. We certainly want a very strong Jones Act, and we certainly want a strong shipbuilding [industry].”

— Sen. Maria Cantwell
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation Hearing on the Blue Economy

[The Administration] “pushed an unprecedented Jones Act waiver that will further undermine American shipping competitiveness, while doing little to address the inflation and energy crisis Americans are experiencing.”

— Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation Hearing on the Blue Economy

“Nothing is more critical than the Jones Act.”

— Rep. Jefferson Van Drew
House Transportation & Infrastructure MARAD Budget Hearing

“If we don’t have the Jones Act, we won’t have a maritime industry at all.”

— Rep. Hillary Scholten
House Transportation & Infrastructure MARAD Budget Hearing