Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for the bipartisan Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a bipartisan agreement that Representatives Garamendi and Johnson have reached. I thank my colleagues for working with me and Congressman DeFazio on this legislation.

As chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I have held hearings on the ongoing supply chain disruptions and met with countless stakeholders and constituents who are feeling the impacts of the disruptions, including those who suffered wrongdoing by ocean carriers. This legislation is a big step toward addressing this.

The increase in funding for the Federal Maritime Commission, FMC, in this 2-year authorization is indicative of this body's strong support for finding an effective solution to the pandemic supply chain crisis.

Now is the time to ensure that the Commission has the ability to enforce fairness in ocean carrier practices.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the bill contains a number of provisions aimed at addressing wrongfully issued detention and demurrage fees and complements President Biden's actions to address this issue. The bill also includes several reporting requirements on issues of maritime cargo flow at U.S. ports and anticompetitive business practices.

By addressing these challenges, Congress seeks to counter trade imbalances with foreign exporting countries, making reciprocal trade one of the FMC's missions.

I am proud of the committee's work on this important legislation, and I look forward to ensuring that this legislation, H.R. 4996, is signed into law.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Carbajal for his leadership.

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