Most of us have been outraged—but not surprised—by the tidal wave of lies about the Jones Act that have circulated in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Opponents of the act have seized on the suffering of Puerto Ricans and other American citizens to attack the law that regulates domestic shipping. Responding to some of the distortions that have appeared in the press, MM&P and the other Maritime Labor Alliance unions* issued the following statement on Sept. 28, 2017:

The humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico is one that requires the full resources and cooperation of all Americans. The men and women of the United States maritime industry, which includes several thousand Puerto Ricans, are deeply committed to providing the relief the people of the Island need. The domestic maritime industry has risen to the occasion.

Contrary to misinformation that has appeared in the media, the crisis in Puerto Rico has nothing to do with the Jones Act. There is no shortage of U.S.-flag tonnage available to serve the Island. The emergency is caused by lack of ability to move critical supplies—food, medicine, water and fuel—from the ports where they are located to local communities.

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