52 House Republicans urge Trump to end Jones Act waiver on fertilizer shipping

Fifty-two House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, have asked President Donald Trump to let the Jones Act waiver expire as scheduled on August 16, ending an emergency measure that has lowered the cost of moving fertilizer and fuel between U.S. ports.

The waiver, first issued March 17 during the U.S.-Iran war and later extended, suspends the Jones Act requirement that goods shipped between American ports travel on U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed vessels. That let importers use cheaper foreign-flagged tonnage to keep fertilizer and refined products moving after the Strait of Hormuz closure spiked prices.

In a June 30 letter, the lawmakers argued the emergency had passed following a mid-June U.S.-Iran ceasefire and said roughly 95% of waiver voyages benefited foreign operators, citing Maritime Administration data. They called the waiver a “loophole” eroding U.S. maritime strength and urged alternative tools to address input costs.

The White House defended the policy, with spokeswoman Taylor Rogers saying more supply reached ports faster. Analysts have found only a limited effect on pump prices.

For fertilizer buyers, an expiry would remove a discount on domestic movements just as summer demand runs high. The administration has not said whether it will extend the Jones Act waiver past August 16.

Source: Argus Media