Lawmakers have offered a slew of bills that would alter U.S. maritime law, but not every proposal is a direct outgrowth of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
In June, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced the Open America’s Water Act, which would repeal the Jones Act — a key maritime statute that addresses the rights of injured seamen and establishes a coastal shipping rule known as “cabotage.” The rule requires that all ships bringing cargo from one U.S. port to another must be registered in the United States and be crewed by Americans. The rules are intended to protect the domestic shipping industry from foreign competition.
