U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (Texas) and other Republican lawmakers are seeking a waiver of the Jones Act so foreign vessels can assist with clean-up efforts in the Gulf of Mexico.  

 
In addition to providing a worker’s compensation type benefits for maritime employees who are injured while working offshore, the Jones Act also prevents internationally-flagged ships from operating in U.S. waters.  Hutchinson and others would like to see this ban temporarily lifted so foreign ships can assist with the clean-up of the oil spilled after the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

 
These lawmakers believe that the Jones Act is currently blocking clean-up efforts.

 
However, it is important that lawmakers remember that the Jones Act provides important protection for those who were injured and the families of those who lost lives in the Deepwater accident on April 20th. Companies such as BP are responsible for following safety procedures that ensure their workers are safe. When shortcuts lead to accidents, the Jones Act provides workers with the legal means to collect damages.

 
For information about the Jones Act, contact the New Orleans maritime law attorneys at The Young Firm.