New Cato Book: The Case Against the Jones Act

Read the new Cato book Case Against the Jones Act edited by Colin Grabow and Inu Manak [View in browser]( [cato_new_book] NOW AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE [CaseAgainstJonesAct_FC]( "The authors have been careful to describe alternatives to the Jones Act that would be far less harmful to national security and the American economy. Given the broad sweep of the act's damage, it is to be hoped that concern for the public good will be sufficiently aroused in policymakers so they will begin undoing the damage from this act and craft viable legislation. When a policy harms those it is supposed to be serving, it should be altered. I hope that the evidence in this volume convinces readers that the Jones Act should be replaced." —Anne O. Krueger, Senior Research Professor of International Economics, John Hopkins University Passed in 1920, the Jones Act restricts the waterborne transport of cargo within the United States to vessels that are U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed, U.S.-owned, and U.S.-built. Meant to bolster the U.S. maritime sector, this protectionist law has instead contributed to its decline. As a result, today’s U.S. oceangoing domestic fleet numbers fewer than 100 ships. Beyond leaving a shrunken and uncompetitive maritime sector in its wake, the law has also inflicted considerable damage on the broader U.S. public that range from higher transportation costs to increased pollution. The chapters in [The Case against the Jones Act](delve into some of the act’s founding myths and the false narrative its supporters have helped to perpetuate. The book evaluates the law’s costs, assesses its impact on businesses, consumers, and the environment, and offers alternatives for a way forward. The Jones Act’s failures reveal that the status quo is untenable. Contributors to this volume hope that the evidence presented will spark discussion about the Jones Act and lay the groundwork for the repeal or significant reform of this outdated law. [NOW ON SALE NATIONWIDE]( Learn more about the Cato Institute’s [Project on the Jones Act Reform]( or join the conversation on Twitter. [#EndTheJonesAct]( [SUPPORT CATO]( [Facebook]( [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 842-0200 [Manage preferences](