The Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO, has posted the following news item. The SIU is an MTD affiliate; SIU President Michael Sacco also serves as MTD president.
PRESIDENT BIDEN SPECIFIES JONES ACT IN ‘BUY AMERICAN’ EXECUTIVE ORDER
Only in office for six days, President Joe Biden confirmed his career-long support for the Jones Act by specifically including the nation’s freight cabotage law in his “Buy American” executive order.
Issued January 25, the order states: “Reiterates the President’s strong support for the Jones Act. The President will continue to be a strong advocate for the Jones Act and its mandate that only U.S.-flag vessels carry cargo between U.S. ports, which supports American production and America’s workers. With the signing of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, the Jones Act has also been affirmed as an opportunity to invest in America’s workers as we build offshore renewable energy, in line with the President’s goals to build our clean energy future here in America.”
MTD President Michael Sacco applauded Biden’s recognition of the importance of the Jones Act so early in his administration.
“The Jones Act provides family-supporting, quality jobs to not just mariners but all kinds of American workers in the 50 states and Puerto Rico,” stated Sacco. “President Biden stood up for American mariners as a U.S. Senator and as Vice President. He knows we deliver the goods around the country and the world.”
The executive order calls for federal dollars to be spent on goods made by American workers using domestic content. It also attempts to close loopholes that have allowed jobs and production to be shipped out of the country.
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