Connecticut is leading where Washington has hesitated. As a State Representative who has led efforts in the Connecticut General Assembly to call for reform, I have seen firsthand how broad this alignment has become.

During last year’s congressional session, a resolution passed out of the Commerce Committee calling on Congress to amend the Jones Act and provide exemptions for Puerto Rico, including allowing foreign-flagged ships to transport liquid natural gas. The resolution, substituting for H.R. No. 9 (2025), was read on the House floor and adopted by voice vote. The question is no longer whether the Jones Act should change. The question is why it hasn’t already.

President Donald Trump’s 90-day waiver allowing such shipping confirms what leaders have long recognized: the law is failing. But temporary relief does not solve a structural problem. Puerto Rico faces higher costs for essential goods, Connecticut residents pay more for energy, and clean energy projects like Revolution Wind are slowed by outdated restrictions.

Supporters cite national security, but a law that limits capacity, drives up costs, and relies on a small fleet weakens rather than strengthens readiness. Working families, businesses, and energy and climate stakeholders all bear the burden.

Federal policymakers have a clear choice: defend an increasingly indefensible system or enact reform that reduces costs, strengthens supply chains, and align U.S. policy with modern realities. The time to act is now.

State Rep. Christopher Rosario represents a portion of Bridgeport in the Connecticut General Assembly.