The Jones Act No Longer Serves Its War Protectionist Purpose...

...It only serves to stranggle the Puerto Rican economy and its ability to thrive as a an autonomous Territory in the Caribbean Basin. “After World War I, America was worried about German U-boats, which had sunk nearly 5,000 ships during the war. Congress enacted the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, a.k.a. the Jones Act, to ensure that the country maintained a shipbuilding industry and seafaring labor force. Section 27 of this law decreed that only American ships could carry goods and passengers from one United States port to another. In addition, every ship must be built, crewed and owned by American citizens. Almost a century later, there are no U-boats lurking off the coast of Puerto Rico. The Jones Act has outlived its original intent, yet it is strangling the island’s economy”. ....Nelson A. Dennis, Former New York State Assemblymember for the New York Times.