Bill Introduced to Exempt America's Cup from the Jones Act

On October 20, Sen. Dianne Feinstein from California introduced a bill (S. 1759) to exempt vessels participating in the 34th America's Cup sailing competition (starting on November 12 in San Diego and concluding in San Francisco in September 2013) from the Jones Act. That Act and related laws would otherwise require the use of qualified U.S.-flag vessels to transport merchandise and passengers between U.S. ports. As introduced, a vessel would only be exempt if it obtained a certification from the U.S. Maritime Administration.