SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 20

(By Senators Nelson, Azinger, Martin, Phillips, Takubo, Weld, Stollings, Maroney, Lindsay, Romano, and Rucker)

[Introduced March 9, 2021]

Expressing support for the Jones Act and celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Jones Act.

Whereas, West Virginia is committed to creating and maintaining a safe, effective, and efficient transportation system that enhances opportunity for the people and communities of West Virginia and the United States; and

Whereas, The current pandemic has demonstrated the critical importance of maintaining resilient domestic industries and transportation services to the citizens and workforce of West Virginia; and

Whereas, The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, known as the Jones Act and codified in Title 46 of the United States Code, requires that vessels carrying cargo between locations in the United States be owned by American companies, crewed by American mariners, and built in American shipyards; and

Whereas, America’s ability to project and deploy forces globally, and supply and maintain military installations domestically, depends on the civilian fleet of Jones Act vessels and mariners; and

Whereas, Mariners aboard Jones Act vessels strengthen America’s homeland security as added eyes and ears monitoring the nation’s 95,000 miles of shoreline and 25,000 miles of navigable inland waterways; and

Whereas, West Virginia is home to over 3,300 maritime jobs supported by the Jones Act, which generates $171.7 million in labor income; and

Whereas, Maritime industry jobs create ladders of opportunity through high-paying, family wage careers that offer significant career advancement without generally necessitating advanced formal education and extensive student loans; and

Whereas, The more than 40,000-vessel strong Jones Act fleet supports nearly 650,000 family wage jobs and over $154 billion in economic output nationally, and $800 million to the West Virginia economy; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Senate expresses its support for the Jones Act and celebrates the centennial anniversary of the Jones Act; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Senate affirms its resolute support for the Jones Act and in fostering a strong domestic maritime industry that is critical to West Virginia’s and the nation’s economic prosperity and national security; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to each member of the West Virginia Congressional Delegation.