One of the last pieces of legislation passed by the 113th Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama included the strongest bipartisan support for the Jones Act of 1929 and the American domestic maritime industry since the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. The National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 3979) specifically recognized the importance of a strong domestic trade maritime industry in order to ensure the national security interests and economic vitality of the United States. What would happen if there were no longer enough licensed and qualified mariners to support this critical industry?
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