[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 119 (Thursday, September 10, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H7499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             THE JONES ACT

  (Mr. SMITH of Michigan asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about an 
act known as the Jones Act. The Jones Act is an act passed by Senator 
Jones of Washington as a floor amendment in the Senate in 1920. It is a 
protectionist act that requires that any transportation of goods by 
ship between any two U.S. ports has to be on a ship made in the U.S.A., 
manned by U.S. sailors, paying U.S. taxes, et cetera.
  I have legislation that is going to tremendously make a difference in 
helping farmers this fall and next year that says, let us allow these 
vessels to be built anyplace in the world to transport these 
agricultural commodities, still require that they be manned by U.S. 
crews, that they be American-owned, American-flagged, pay all American 
taxes, and comply with environmental laws.
  Agriculture is going through a tremendously depressed time. We cannot 
afford to further depress those commodity prices by limiting the 
transportation to move these goods between U.S. ports.

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