[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H3847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        COMMENDING PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR NOT WAIVING THE JONES ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Babin) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I rise here today commending President 
Trump for not waiving the Jones Act.
  This is a hypothetical picture, thank goodness, a Chinese-built 
vessel, subsidized by their communist regime, operated by the Chinese, 
and delivering Chinese goods, all in the very heartland of the United 
States of America. But this could easily become a reality if the Jones 
Act is waived.
  For the past 100 years, the Jones Act has brought strength and 
certainty to maritime commerce here in the United States. It has 
protected the rights of American sailors, created and maintained 
American jobs, and been one of the single largest factors in 
facilitating the strong American economy that we are enjoying.
  The Jones Act states that goods shipped between U.S. ports are to be 
built, owned, and operated by the citizens of the United States, and to 
support the Jones Act would be an easy decision to continue promoting 
the policy of America first.
  To waive the Jones Act would be to directly jeopardize our national 
security, our economic growth, and our ability to provide American jobs 
all across this country. Worst of all, waiving the Jones Act would be 
allowing these foreign-operated ships into our waterways and could be 
opening the door to espionage. These foreign vessels would have the 
potential to literally threaten our national security by exposing our 
waterways to very real threats.

  Not only has the Jones Act played a vital role in economic growth, 
but it has and continues to play a very large role in disaster recovery 
and the efforts of emergency response. Take a look at the photos of New 
York City after the attack on 9/11. You will see the Hudson River and 
the East River full of American vessels who quickly came to the rescue. 
Or how about all of the supplies delivered to the coastal communities 
after catastrophic hurricanes?
  The list goes on to include the cleanups of oil spills, fires, and 
nautical accidents. Americans are always there, and the Jones Act makes 
that possible.
  The Jones Act creates stability and certainty to the maritime and 
shipping industry. Taking away the Jones Act strips this industry of 
job and market availability and stability, handing it over to foreign 
countries to cheaply fill the role through questionable labor practices 
and lower standards of performance. It would singlehandedly jeopardize 
one of the Nation's most reliable and strongest of our economic 
drivers.
  As a conservative Republican, I am well aware that many groups and 
thought leaders here in Washington and back in Texas, whom I respect 
and agree with on most of the other issues, do not share my view on the 
Jones Act, and they are actively working to try to weaken or even 
repeal it.
  I respectfully, but firmly, disagree, and that is why I am calling on 
any and all of my colleagues who want to repeal the Jones Act to 
explain why the image that they see here would make for a better and 
stronger America.
  If they need to borrow this poster, I will be glad to let them use 
it. Just let me know.

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