House Republican leaders urge Trump to let Jones Act waivers expire as scheduled in August

By Jarrett Renshaw

July 1 (Reuters) - House Speaker Mike Johnson and several Republican leaders ‌are asking President Donald Trump to allow ‌Jones Act waivers to expire in mid-August as currently ​scheduled, rather than extending them further, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The waivers were issued by Trump during the Iran ‌conflict to help ⁠ease supply disruptions and keep fuel and other critical goods moving between ⁠U.S. ports as prices rose. Lawmakers now say those emergency conditions have passed and ​the waivers ​should end on ​schedule.

In their letter, ‌Johnson and 51 other Republican lawmakers emphasize the importance of the Jones Act, which requires cargo moving between U.S. ports to be carried on American-built, owned, and crewed ships. ‌They argue that the ​law supports U.S. maritime ​jobs and national ​security, and warn that continued ‌waivers could weaken domestic ​shipping by allowing ​foreign-flagged vessels to operate in coastal trade even when U.S. ships are available.

The ​White House ‌did not immediately respond to a ​request for comment.

(Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw; ​Editing by Mark Porter)