How the Jones Act and Labor Unions are Blocking Oil Spill Cleanup

June 11, 2010 report by Fox News' Brian Wilson on how the 1920 Jones Act is preventing friendly countries from helping us clean up the Gulf Oil Spill.

Wilson asks James Carafano of the Heritage Foundation why this is so:

After 50 plus days of oil flowing freely into the gulf, the question could be asked: Why do effective and proven foreign clean up ships remain on the sidelines? Carafano believes it may have something to do with the Obama administration's close relationship with labor unions.

"Cause this is a big thing for unions," Carafano said. "The unions see it as ... protecting jobs. They hate when the Jones Act gets waived, and they pound on politicians when they do that. So ... are we giving in to unions and not doing everything we can, or is there some kind of impediment that we don't know about?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Oil
• Spill
• Jones
• Act
• Unions

[admirable]

Oil Spill, Foreign Help and the Jones Act

Q: Did Obama turn down foreign offers of assistance in cleaning up the Gulf oil spill? Did he refuse to waive Jones Act restrictions on foreign-flag vessels?

A: No to both questions. So far, offers from six foreign countries or entities have been accepted and only one offer has been rejected. Fifteen foreign-flag vessels are working on the cleanup, and none required a waiver.

[admirable]

The Jones Act did not hinder any government operation. The Deepwater Horizon was 52 miles from the nearest land. There were already a fleet of foreign flag vessels involved in the cleanup and no waivers were requested! Deregulation of Inspection Standards and construction standards by Bush and Cheney are what lead up to this disaster!

[EarthFriendlyMover]

Rather than compromise the Jones Act (which works with national security in mind), how about these foreign-flag shipowners re-flag their ships under the American flag temporarily (if not permenantly)? I realize this spill is a disaster and we could use all the help we can get, but it would be a common occurance if the Jones Act was compromised.

[levijmay]

@Max200849 I agree that resources and wildlife are being depleted, but the Jones Act isn't to blame. The Jones Act keeps Americans working Vs. Foreign crewed ships replacing those jobs. Your Foreign flagged vessels are bigger environmental offenders than US Flagged ships. I won't justify my beliefs, yet I know God loving and all powerful who looks after us. We need to love each other and take care of each other and our home. Be apart of the solution, it starts in your own community. Take care!

[AlembicVapor]

THIS IS TOTAL BS! THE JONES ACT IS KEY IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF OVER 1/2 MILLION AMERICAN WORKERS! THIS IS MORE OF THE "LET'S DESTROY AMERICA" POLITICS OF THESE NEW WORLD ORDER FUCK-HEADS IN WASHINGTON DC - AND ABROAD. Go to: Horizon Lines. In the company website, you will see a link that reads: "Jones Act and the BP oil spill". This will explain what the truth is concerning the BS that everyone has been told. My brother is on Horizon Lines board of directors. VOTE OUT JOHN MCCAIN!!!

[johnnyk67]

@CPOSharkey01 : I'm not saying that, but the majority of the oil is not within 3 miles and that is where the majority of help is (24 foreign vessels from 9 foreign countries). If we only had to worry about oil 3 miles out, I don't think we would need help, we could cover that ourselves. For Jones and others to claim that Obama didn't accept foreign help is just plain wrong, and them guys need to get informed instead of believing everything they read from right-wing blogs and talking points.

[CPOSharkey01]

@johnnyk67 So are you saying their is no oil within 3 miles of US beaches? If Obama and his team had gotten off there Asses you might have been correct.

[johnnyk67]

The favorite talking point for conservatives is an urban myth - the Jones Act is the reason we can't contain the spill? The law doesn't even apply in this case. It only applies inside the 3 mile limit - the oil spill is 53 miles off shore. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is running the cleanup effort, said he’d received “no requests for Jones Act waivers” from foreign vessels or countries. There are currently 24 foreign vessels from 9 foreign countries helping with the response effort.

[Max200849]

@levijmay Not repealing it is causing hundreds of thousands of our resources and wildlife to be depleted. Believe me, there ARE jobs out there if people are willing to WORK!!! But, then isn't it interesting how the Bible predicted that man would destroy itself eventually and once things have gotten so ridiculously wicked, our world will come to it's final destination following the timeline of the Old Testament to the New...THE END.