The Trump administration temporarily suspended the Jones Act on March 18, 2026, as part of its efforts to bring down soaring U.S. gasoline prices.
But what does this more-than-century-old law, which originally was designed to support the shipping industry, have to do with the price of gas?
As the director of the Center for Energy Innovation at UMass Lowell, I’ve learned that the impact of the Jones Act ripples beyond shipping and can have a profound effect on the price of many things, including consumer goods, electricity and what you pay at the pump.
What is the Jones Act?
The Jones Act is more formally known as Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920.
