06/21/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/21/2022 14:39
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act was signed into law by President Biden last week
WASHINGTON - In an op-ed published in the Star Tribune, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) highlighted how the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, her bipartisan legislation with Senator John Thune (R-SD) to ease shipping backlogs, will strengthen supply chains and benefit farmers and consumers.
"I have heard countless stories from businesses and farmers throughout our state who have struggled to get their goods to market because of the unreliable service and exorbitant fees from shipping carriers. This anticompetitive behavior has gone unchecked for decades - but not for much longer," wrote Klobuchar. "The Ocean Shipping Reform Act…levels the playing field for manufacturers, farmers and consumers...Our legislation sends a clear message to the foreign-owned shipping alliances: charge fair rates, stop profiting off our backs and fill your empty containers with American-made products."
The legislation, which passed the Senate unanimously in March and passed the House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 369-42 last week, was signed into law by President Biden last Thursday.
From the op-ed:
The legislation earned the endorsement of the American Association of Port Authorities, which represents more than 130 port authorities across North and South America, including the Port of Duluth-Superior. The bill was also endorsed by more than 300 organizations including the Association of Port Authorities, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC), the National Retail Federation, the American Trucking Association, the California Association of Port Authorities, the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, and the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act will:
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