Despite Hurricane Fiona’s devastation of Puerto Rico in mid-September, recovery efforts to help the United States island territory have been sluggish at best. A century-old law has hindered relief efforts from day one—the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, which is colloquially known as the Jones Act.
The Jones Act restricts all domestic shipping to U.S.-flagged, built, owned, and staffed vessels, making it harder for cheaper foreign vessels to transport goods around the United States, particularly to the remote states and territories of Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. It also raises shipping costs by shielding domestic carriers from international competition.
The Biden
