Rep. Salud Carbajal
President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a bipartisan bill designed to reduce supply chain disruptions and crack down on inflated shipping fees.
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act was supported by U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, who joined the president at the White House during the signing. The congressman chairs the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, which held hearings on the supply bottlenecks.
“I was proud to stand with President Biden today to get this bipartisan overhaul of our shipping laws signed into law, and I was proud to work with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to promote this important legislation that will protect American manufacturers and farmers and counter trade imbalances with foreign exporting countries,” Rep. Carbajal said in a statement Thursday.
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act is designed to strengthen the Federal Maritime Commission’s enforcement against exploitative business practices and ensure fairness in shipping. It prohibits ocean carriers from unreasonably refusing to transport American cargo, according to Rep. Carbajal’s office, which said the goal is to lower costs for families.
— Dave Mason
