The American Waterways Operators, the national trade association of the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry, issued the following statement regarding the Biden Administration’s issuance of targeted Jones Act waivers in response to the Colonial Pipeline incident:

 

“As the statutory foundation of the domestic maritime industry, the Jones Act is critical to America’s economic, national and homeland security, which is why it continues to earn strong bipartisan support. The Jones Act should therefore not be waived unless such a waiver is strictly and precisely applied to address a clear national security vulnerability that cannot be addressed with American vessels. To the extent that any such targeted waivers are issued, AWO urges the Administration and Congress to apply the relevant provisions of the FY 21 National Defense Authorization Act to ensure transparency and accountability for those seeking to benefit from such waivers.” – Jennifer Carpenter, President & CEO