Soaring gas prices prompt Trump to ease oil tanker rules – how waiving the Jones Act affects what you pay at the pump

Suspending the Jones Act will increase the supply of fuel by allowing foreign-flagged ships to transport oil between US ports, which should eventually educe gas prices.

By: Christopher Niezrecki, UMass Lowell, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 19, 2026

Words: 941

Last Updated: 4 months, 2 weeks ago

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By Christopher Niezrecki, UMass Lowell

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 …

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