The Jones Act was enacted in 1920 apart of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. It's a protectionist law that prohibits merchants from hauling goods such as oil, between US Ports unless the ships are American made, owned, and crewed with US citizens and permanent US residents. It has been argued that this law benefits US merchant ships while stifling growth for national islanders in Puerto Rico. The Jones Act has had ramifications in slowing the production of other larger vessel's in the US while it creates an incentive to continue departing veteran American ships to and from Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican goods exported and imported are allegedly sold at a premium due to the Jones Acts requirements. Under extreme pressure after natural disasters there generally may be a shortage of ships as Puerto Rico must import greater amounts of goods from abroad, leading to an increased cost of goods.
The Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, has called on President Trump and other politicians to support an extended waiver of 10 years for sections of the Jones Act that will hamper Natural Gas trade. The Governor of Florida, Ron Desantis, has also ordered counties in Florida to offer Spanish-language ballots in all 32 Florida counties, thus helping a good portion of Cuban-American and Puerto Rican-American citizens gain a voice in the upcoming election. After Hurrican Maria, the population of Puerto Rico fell a dramatic 4% from July 2017 to July 2018.
Today is also the Puerto Rican Day Parade in Orlando, Florida. Did you attend?
