Garamendi’s Ocean Shipping Reform Act to Become Law
Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill Modernizes Ocean Shipping Laws to Address Supply Chain and Inflation Issues
Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) applauded the final passage of his bicameral, "Ocean Shipping Reform Act" in the U.S. House of Representatives by a strong bipartisan vote of 369 to 42. The legislation already passed the U.S. Senate and now heads to President Biden's desk to be signed into law.
On Friday, Garamendi met with President Biden, other elected officials, and port workers at the Port of Los Angeles to discuss the passage of this reform legislation.
In August 2021, Garamendi introduced the "Ocean Shipping Reform Act" with Congressman Dusty Johnson (R-SD) to provide the Federal Maritime Commission with the regulatory power to support American exporters, protect consumers, and establish reciprocal trade opportunities to reduce our nation's longstanding trade imbalance with countries like China.
U.S. Senators Amy J. Klobuchar (D-MN) and John R. Thune (R-SD) sponsored the companion legislation in the Senate.
With today's overwhelming passage of the "Ocean Shipping Reform Act," Congress provides the first major overhaul of our nation's ocean shipping laws since 1998.
"I'm incredibly pleased that my legislation to strengthen our supply chain, combat inflation, and support American workers and exporters will soon become law," Garamendi said. "The nine major multinational ocean shipping companies have three consortiums to raise prices on American businesses and consumers by over 1,000% on goods coming from Asia. This allowed these foreign companies to make $190 billion in profits last year—a sevenfold increase in one year—while refusing to take American exports," Garamendi continued. "I introduced the ‘Ocean Shipping Reform Act' to provide the Federal Maritime Commission with the necessary tools to protect American businesses and consumers and address America's longstanding trade imbalance with China and other countries.
"I'm grateful to Senators Klobuchar and Thune as well as Representative Johnson for championing this legislation with me. I am pleased that the ‘Ocean Shipping Reform Act'will soon be signed into law by President Biden," Garamendi concluded.