Amid widespread ire over gasoline shortages along the East Coast following the recent shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline due to the actions of Russian hackers, the Biden administration eventually issued waivers of the Jones Act (a law that President Joe Biden has repeatedly endorsed), allowing two foreign ships to transport fuel to alleviate the scarcity.

But waiving the law immediately after the pipeline’s closure should have been a policy no-brainer. Suspending the nearly 101-year-old Jones Act greatly expands the number of vessels permitted to transport goods within the United States. That, in turn, adds valuable flexibility in getting products to where they are needed in times of crisis.