Fox News reported yesterday that the government was turning away foreign help in cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Is this the truth, or a partisan meme?
Shockingly, it’s true. The Jones Act (or, more accurately, the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) mandates that ships working in U.S. waters must have been made in America and crewed by Americans. The administration has generally gotten around this requirement by transferring foreign technology to US ships, but the act’s provisions mean that offers of Belgian, Dutch and Norwegian skimming ships have been rebuffed.
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says that waivers to the Act are being considered, but none have been granted. Conservatives groups are urging repeal of the Act, which also provides workers compensation payments for injured maritime personnel.
