McCain repeats call for Jones Act repeal following Puerto Rico waiver

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Thursday repeated his call to repeal the Jones Act after the Trump administration announced a temporary lift on shipping restrictions for Puerto Rico as it recovers from Hurricanes Maria and Irma.

“Trump admin has finally waived #JonesAct for #PuertoRico. Now Congress must repeal this law to aid long-term recovery,” McCain wrote on Twitter.

Trump admin has finally waived #JonesAct for #PuertoRico. Now Congress must repeal this law to aid long-term recovery.

— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) September 28, 2017

Lawmakers this week have pushed for a one-year waiver of the law, which mandates that American-owned and -operated vessels transport cargo between U.S. ports, so that Puerto Rico can receive much-needed aid after being battered by two major hurricanes in the last month.

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McCain this week re-upped his call to repeal the law, which he has called “archaic and burdensome.” 

“It is unacceptable to force the people of Puerto Rico to pay at least twice as much for food, clean drinking water, supplies and infrastructure due to Jones Act requirements as they work to recover from this disaster,” the senator wrote in a letter to acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke.

The Trump administration early Thursday announced a 10-day waiver to the Jones Act that goes into effect immediately.