The latest assault on the Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920) was thwarted on June 8, when an amendment to the Puerto Rico relief bill to exempt the U.S. commonwealth from the Act was ruled “out-of-order” in the House of Representatives Rules Committee.
The Sailors’ Union of the Pacific overwhelmingly endorsed a true champion of labor and the U.S. Merchant Marine for the open United States Senate seat in California – Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez.
On April 20, the SUP, MFOW, SIU, MEBA, MM&P and AMO submitted testimony to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Paul Zukunft and Maritime Administrator Paul Jaenichen stressed the critical need for the Jones Act to protect our economic and national security.
The Sailors’ Union gained new work last month when Matson Navigation Company and Patriot Contract Services were awarded contracts to operate and maintain 10 vessels in the Ready Reserve Force. Seven of the ships are new for the SUP.
In the 1950s, there were more than 1,000 U.S. ships engaged in international trade. Each of these vessels employed and trained a pool of U.S. mariners we could rely on in a time of war to sail our forces to the fight. Today, there are only 78.
President Obama signed omnibus spending legislation approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate that includes much needed and significant new funding levels for the Maritime Security Program.
Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), the parent company of American President Lines, confirmed this month that it is in preliminary and separate negotiations with Denmark’s A.P. Moller-Maersk and France’s CMA CGM for the possible sale of the company.
The maritime community is in mourning after the tragic sinking of the El Faro, a U.S.-flag roll-on/roll-off and lift-off vessel owned by TOTE.
The failure by Congress to renew the charter of the Export-Import Bank of the United States is costing American workers, including American maritime workers, jobs.