OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022

Floor Speech

Date: June 13, 2022
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my support for the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022. I want to especially commend Reps. Garamendi and Johnson, on their tremendous work cultivating a bipartisan agreement to address supply chain issues and unfair practices in the shipping industry.

I would also like to thank my colleagues for working with me and Chair DeFazio on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, the need for this legislation is clear by the fact that every American now knows the phrase `supply chain disruption'.

Whether its delayed shipments of agricultural goods or the current infant formula shortage, every family in America has been touched in some way by these bottlenecks and kinks in our supply chain.

We need robust solutions to address this crisis

This bill is the first step in doing so.

It eases our stressed supply chain by creating more transparency within our intermodal system and improves efficiency in transporting goods at a time when supply chain congestion is severe.

The increase in funding for the Federal Maritime Commission in this 4-year authorization is indicative of Congress's strong support for finding an effective solution to the supply chain crisis. Now is the time to ensure that the Commission has the ability to enforce fairness in ocean shipping practices.

I am pleased that the bill contains a number of provisions aimed at addressing wrongfully issued detention and demurrage charges. This includes holding shipping companies responsible for proving the reasonableness of the charges when challenged.

To optimize supply chain efficiency and streamline operations, the bill calls for a study to develop best practices for chassis pools that provide service to different types of stakeholders in the intermodal transportation system.

It also authorizes the collection and publication of equipment dwell time statistics at the top 25 ports.

I am proud of the Committee's work on this important legislation, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.

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