MISSISSIPPI Senator Roger Wicker, the ranking member on the Senate transportation committee, has sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas criticising his decision to waive the Jones Act for shipments of diesel and LNG to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Fiona.
'These waivers were unlawful, unnecessary, and in direct contradiction to the government's longstanding expressed interest in protecting American industry,' said Senator Wicker.
'Both waivers were issued for vessels that had already left port and were en route to Puerto Rico, sending a direct signal to foreign companies that our current political leadership is willing to suspend traditional norms and bipartisan support for the American maritime industry during times of crisis,' he said.
He also protested short period of time in which the industry was given to respond to the non-availability assessment in the case of the second waiver for a US-sourced LNG cargo transshipped via the Dominican Republic.
That second waiver was requested on a Saturday and was granted the following day.
'Providing the industry with 20 minutes to respond falls far short of the duties your department owes to upholding the law, protecting the US maritime industry, and serving the bests interests of the American public,' he said.
Mr Wicker's letter follows a previous letter sent by bipartisan group of House lawmakers, Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and top committee Republican Sam Graves (R-MO), to DHS Secretary Mayorkas expressing their 'concerns and disappointment' over the decision to grant the first waiver requested by BP for a cargo of diesel.
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'These waivers were unlawful, unnecessary, and in direct contradiction to the government's longstanding expressed interest in protecting American industry,' said Senator Wicker.
'Both waivers were issued for vessels that had already left port and were en route to Puerto Rico, sending a direct signal to foreign companies that our current political leadership is willing to suspend traditional norms and bipartisan support for the American maritime industry during times of crisis,' he said.
He also protested short period of time in which the industry was given to respond to the non-availability assessment in the case of the second waiver for a US-sourced LNG cargo transshipped via the Dominican Republic.
That second waiver was requested on a Saturday and was granted the following day.
'Providing the industry with 20 minutes to respond falls far short of the duties your department owes to upholding the law, protecting the US maritime industry, and serving the bests interests of the American public,' he said.
Mr Wicker's letter follows a previous letter sent by bipartisan group of House lawmakers, Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and top committee Republican Sam Graves (R-MO), to DHS Secretary Mayorkas expressing their 'concerns and disappointment' over the decision to grant the first waiver requested by BP for a cargo of diesel.
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