Washington, D.C. — On Friday, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Salud Carbajal (D-CA) wrote to President Trump regarding his waiving of the Jones Act.
“The Jones Act waiver and its subsequent extension represent a direct threat to the American maritime industry,” the Ranking Members wrote. “America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP), which you released in February, calls for the increased use of American vessels and American shipyards. The waiver does just the opposite, undermining the MAP and threatening all future investments in the American maritime industry.
“Our Committee intends to provide rigorous oversight of the use of the waiver,” the Ranking Members wrote. “One issue of particular concern is whether vessels acting under the waiver have fully complied with U.S. laws. As you may know, 46 U.S. Code Section 501(a) limits the government’s waiver authority to 'navigation and vessel-inspection laws.'"
Ranking Members Larsen and Carbajal are requesting the following information from the Trump administration regarding their use of this waiver:
- Provide specific information on how each voyage that has been performed under the current waiver has “immediately” addressed military operations. Identify the military operation and how the voyage provided needed relief to that specific military operation.
- Provide the market survey, or other mechanism utilized by the DOD or other departments or agencies, to determine that there were “insufficient qualified [U.S.-flag] vessels to meet the needs of national defense without the waiver” for both this waiver and the initial waiver dated March 17, 2026.
- Provide a copy of the text of the waiver to this Committee.
To read the entire letter, click here.
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