As New England faces natural gas price spikes and Puerto Rico struggles in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, emails have emerged showing that government officials have opposed measures that would help ease supply constraints.
At issue is the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, more commonly called the Jones Act. Passed in the aftermath of World War I, the law dictates that cargo shipped between two U.S. ports can only be carried by American-made ships owned by American entities and staffed by American crews. As Reason's Scott Shackford noted last month, there are currently fewer than 100 ships that comply with the Jones Act, severely limiting the amount of goods that can be transported to more distant locales like Puerto Rico.
