Maritime Issues: Assessment of the International Trade Commission's 1995 Analysis of the Economic Impact of the Jones Act

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the International Trade Commission's (ITC) 1995 report on the economic impact of the Jones Act, focusing on: (1) ITC's estimate of the impact of reduced transportation costs on Alaska's North Slope oil production; (2) ITC's estimate of the impact that repealing the Jones Act would have on the number of U.S. workers in the domestic maritime industry; (3) ITC's methodology for calculating the differential between the shipping rates of domestic and foreign vessels, and the accuracy and completeness of the data ITC used; and (4) whether ITC included in its analysis the additional costs to foreign vessel operators of complying with relevant U.S. laws if they were allowed to engage in domestic trade.