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The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, along with several Republican leaders, has asked President Donald Trump not to extend the waivers applied to the cabotage shipping law (Jones Act) and to allow them to expire in mid-August, according to a letter accessed by Reuters.
These exemptions to the Jones Act - a more than century-old legislation - were granted by Trump during the conflict with Iran to mitigate disruptions in fuel supply.
The measure sought to maintain the flow of fuel and other critical goods between U.S. ports in an attempt to contain price increases. However, lawmakers now state that the emergency conditions are no longer present and that the benefit should end as scheduled.
In their letter, Johnson and 51 other Republican lawmakers emphasize the importance of the Jones Act, which requires cargo transported between U.S. ports to be moved on vessels built, owned, and crewed by citizens of that country.
They argue that the law supports U.S. maritime jobs and national security, warning that the continuation of the exemptions could weaken local maritime transport by allowing foreign-flagged vessels to operate in cabotage trade, even when U.S. ships are available.
A White House official noted that "the extension of the second waiver does not expire until August 16" and added that "if there are new announcements, they will be made directly by the president or the administration."
A White House spokesperson defended the waivers, highlighting their impact on fuel movement and market stability.
"New data collected since the initial Jones Act waiver was issued revealed that a significantly larger amount of supply was able to reach U.S. ports more quickly," said Taylor Rogers, White House spokesperson, in a statement sent to Reuters.
However, analysts have determined that the measure has had a limited effect on gasoline prices, largely because the volumes moved are small in relation to total U.S. demand and because shipping costs remain high.
