Introduction to Research Paper

 For this research paper, my focus is on Puerto Rico. More specifically, how the Jones Act (otherwise known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) has and still impacts Puerto Rico to this day. What the Jones Act does is enforces all sea shipping within the United States to be done only with United States ships. On the surface, one may not take issue with this. However, Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, and yet cannot vote to change this law. This can make Puerto Ricans seem like second-class citizens.

The intended purpose behind the Jones Act was for the United States to always have a homegrown shipping industry. This became an issue in the later stages of World War I, under president Woodrow Wilson. This was considered a national security concern. To this day, the United States shipping industry is weak and isn't taken seriously internationally. In times of actual naval conflict, it is common for the Jones Act to receive waivers because of the lack of Jones Act complaint ships available! In total, there are about 96 Jones Act complaint ships that exist at any given time, which drives up the price of using any of the ships for importing goods from the mainland United States..

Because the American shipping industry is in such dire straights, the only real benefit to the Jones Act is for people who work in that industry that benefit from the legislation. However, those benefits pose a real cost, especially to the people of Puerto Rico. As an example, it is cheaper for Puerto Rico to import oil from Venezuela than it is from the mainland United States, just because of the shipping costs that having a Jones Act complaint ship would create. Therefore, I see no purpose or reason for the Jones Act to continue on in it's current form and advocate for it's abolition. The only real reason I can see for it continuing to exist is institutional inertia.



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