I just created a petition on “We The People” to protect the Jones Act. John McCain is attempting to abolish this Act by slipping it into legislation for the Keystone Pipeline which has nothing to do with each other. This Act ensures that American merchant companies hire American merchants. These companies employ thousands of American citizens. Abolishment will allow these companies to hire foreign merchants for pennies on the dollar. It also requires that all goods shipped between ports of the United States be carried by vessels built in the United States and owned and operated by Americans. The tax money that comes from these merchants is well in the millions. That tax money will now be going to other countries. Not to mention the national security involved with merchants from all over the world going in and out of the busiest ports in the country. Please sign this petition and repost it as many times as possible. The repeal of this act will be detrimental to thousands of American seafarers, and it’s affect will be felt throught the nation by everyone. I thank you in advance for your support.
What news is there on the actual amendment? It would be difficult to believe that nothing has been happening in the days since we all first learned of this, so who’s got the inside scoop?
any legislation affecting the Jones Act mus be heard in Committee by the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security. They have jurisdiction over this law and John McCain does not sit on that Subcommittee nor even the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The ammendment he has added to the bill could not proceed without the bill going to a body he does not sit on so cannot control. John Thune of SD is the committee chair and Roy Blunt of MO is the subcommittee chair. Both of them would have to be anti Jones Act themselves for there even to be a hearing held thus I believe McCain is purely pissing into windward yet again with this as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 retains significant support from both Republican and Democrat Senators as well as House members.
HOWEVER, A VERY LOUD VOICE NEEDS TO SHOUT DOWN McCAIN IN THIS UTTERLY SELF SERVING CRUSADE OF HIS TO HARM THE HEALTH OF THE MERCHANT MARINE AND BY DIRECT CONNECTION, THE NATIONAL DEFENSE! WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ISSUE THE MAN IS A UTTER TRAITOR TO THE ABILITY OF THIS NATION TO PROTECT ITS INTEREST OVER THE GLOBE…HE IS A MILITARY MAN SO HOW ON EARTH CAN HE BE SO COMPLETELY OBTUSE WHERE SUCH A MATTER IS CONCERNED?
Well done shipmate! I have added my signature to the ballot and will instruct my sailors to do so as well. Sucking to me, a Vietnam vet and he wants to open the flood gates to foreigners. By the way, is anyone selling “Keelhaul McCain!” T-shirts?
So, after talking to MandolinGuy, he mentioned that he emailed McCain on the Jones Act situation. It gave me the idea to post his contact info. Maybe if his offices get flooded with enough calls and emails he might consider backing down. Here is the info.
2201 East Camelback Road
Suite 115
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Main: (602) 952-2410
Fax: (602) 952-8702
Prescott Office
122 North Cortez Street
Suite 108
Prescott, AZ 86301
Main: (928) 445-0833
Fax: (928) 445-8594
Tucson Office Office
407 West Congress Street
Suite 103
Tucson, AZ 85701
Main: (520) 670-6334
Fax: (520) 670-6637
Washington Office
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: (202) 224-2235
Fax: (202) 228-2862
I sent McCain my two cents (kept it professional, however). Everyone should flood the guy’s email, fax lines, and phone lines with their opinions on his antics. Sure, the odds are that nothing will happen and call me an idealist, but we have to at least try to knock some sense into this guy.