Protecting Access to American Products Act

Protecting Access to American Products Act

This bill revises coastwise laws, commonly known as the Jones Act, that govern domestic transportation of merchandise or passengers by vessels. The Jones Act requires vessels transporting merchandise or passengers between Puerto Rico and other U.S. ports to be built in the Unites States, at least 75% owned by U.S. citizens, and mostly crewed by U.S. citizens.

Specifically, the bill requires the head of a federal agency to

• temporarily waive Jones Act requirements upon request if there is no product carrier that meets such requirements and a good faith effort was made to locate a product carrier that complies with such requirements,
• approve or deny a waiver within 60 days after receiving a request, and
• notify Congress of any request it receives for a temporary waiver.