Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Johnson for yielding and for his support on this important legislation today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021. Throughout the pandemic, I heard from Georgia farmers who were unable to access affordable shipping. Agriculture is the largest industry in my district and the largest industry in the State of Georgia. Our ports are a critical part of our Nation's infrastructure and it should be considered a great honor and privilege for any international company or entity to have access to them.

Foreign players gain access to the largest consumer market on earth through our ports, with a GDP of $20 trillion and 325 million people. Yet, American farmers face high fees and barriers to getting their commodities into shipping containers.

After defying the odds of weather and many other issues that our farmers face, it is unconscionable that our perishable exports are left sitting in warehouses to rot.

This bill provides the first significant Federal update of the Federal Maritime Commission's powers since 1998 and will significantly improve our farmers' access to affordable shipping.

Mr. Speaker, I am a proud cosponsor of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021, and I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

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