U.S Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced legislation that would create a waiver process for entities subject to the Jones Act. The legislation is called the Protecting Access to American Products Act (PAAPA), the bill would allow applicants to obtain a waiver if a Jones Act-eligible ship is not available to transport a particular product domestically. Jones Act shipping is limited in capabilities due to the 99-ship fleet and is more expensive compared to alternatives.

PAAPA would attempt to solve these problems by creating an expedited process for Americans to obtain a Jones Act waiver. If an applicant claims they failed to find a Jones Act compliant vessel for a specific product, the federal government must approve or deny that waiver within 60 days.