US won't waive shipping restrictions for Puerto Rico relief

[icymist]

Source: The Hill

The Trump administration on Tuesday denied a request from several members of Congress to waive shipping restrictions to help get gasoline and other supplies to Puerto Rico as the island recovers from Hurricane Maria.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declined the request to waive the Jones Act, which limits shipping between coasts to U.S.-flagged vessels, according to Reuters. DHS waived the act following hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which hit the mainland U.S.

The agency has in the past waived the rule to allow cheaper and more readily-available foreign vessels to supply goods to devastated areas. But DHS said Tuesday that waiving the act for Puerto Rico would not help the U.S. island territory due to damaged ports preventing ships from docking.

..."It is unacceptable to force the people of Puerto Rico to pay at least twice as much for food, clean drinking water, supplies and infrastructure due to Jones Act requirements as they work to recover from this disaster," McCain wrote.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/352597-us-wont-waive-shipping-restrictions-for-puerto-rico-relief

[atreides1]

3. Really?

How can they fix the docks if they don't have the supplies and equipment, which can't get to the island, because the DHS will not waive the Jones Act????

[roomtomove]

2. So the US can't pay/cover some additonal costs to save lives.........?????.....WTF...!!!!!....sick!

eom

[unblock]

4. The "damaged ports" argument is complete b.s.

If foreign vessels can't dock then it doesn't hurt to waive the jones act and they're at least appearing to help.

In other words, their argument is even if it's purely symbolic, they're *still* not going to help Puerto Rico.

[Cold War Spook]

5. We, the people, need to send an armada.

See how many Puerto Ricans we can bring to the mainland.

[Augiedog]

7. This is what you get when you have a government run and paid for by greedy assholes.

[Dorn]

8. Missing paragraph from article

"The Department of Homeland Security, which waived the act after hurricanes Harvey and Irma, did not agree an exemption would help this time."

Even if that is true it seems like P.R. needs assistance now and any help is better than none.

[Bayard]

9. I think right now

Puerto Rico would be happy to row boats out to ships to get food and water. Still, what's the problem with helicopter ferry?