Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I better get on with it. For every American shopper, shipper, agricultural exporter, manufacturer, retailer, or small business struggling with skyrocketing ocean shipping costs, I am saying this bill will be help on the way. The Ocean Shipping Reform Act cracks down on many of the issues. The Federal Maritime Commission is empowered. The bill shifts the burden of proof regarding reasonableness to the ocean carriers, so if they want detention and demurrage, they have to prove it. The bill also requires ocean carriers or their billing agencies to ensure that those charges comply with Federal regulations. Third: The bill increases the antiretaliation protections for shippers. Fourth: The bill establishes a new exception in Federal law that ocean carriers make a good-faith effort to negotiate vessel space and accommodate the cargo bookings for U.S. exports. The bill authorizes the Federal Maritime Commission to regulate shipping exchanges. Finally, this is one fine piece of legislation, and I urge its passage. Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”