The American Waterways Operators, the national trade association of the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry, today released the following statement on the Trump Administration's announcement of its decision to extend the Jones Act waiver currently in effect for an additional 90 days, beginning August 17:

"While AWO appreciates the dialogue with Administration officials that led to changes to this waiver – including the requirement that the Department of War consult with the Maritime Administration on the availability of Jones Act-qualified vessels and a narrowing of the scope of commodities covered by the waiver – we are deeply disappointed that the waiver has been extended when the public record over the last five months makes clear that the waiver has not been driven by military needs (the statutory standard), has not reduced the price of gasoline for U.S. consumers, and has allowed foreign vessels, including those linked to U.S. adversaries like China and Russia, to take work from Americans.

Our work is not over; it now moves into a different phase: working with the Trump Administration and Congress to ensure that any request by a foreign vessel to use the waiver is scrutinized carefully to ensure that it meets a legitimate national defense need that cannot be met by a qualified U.S. vessel, and that any foreign vessel carrying cargo in U.S. domestic commerce comply fully with all applicable U.S. tax, immigration, labor, and environmental laws."