Johnson & Garamendi: Let’s Get the Ocean Shipping Reform Act Across the Finish Line

“Senate passage gets us one step closer to seeing the Garamendi-Johnson Ocean Shipping Reform Act signed into law”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and John Garamendi (D-Calif.) commended passage of the Senate companion to the House-passed Ocean Shipping Reform Act. The Garamendi-Johnson Ocean Shipping Reform Act passed the U.S. House in December by 364-60, again in February, and for a third time this week.

The Garamendi-Johnson “Ocean Shipping Reform Act” (H.R.4996) is the first major overhaul of federal regulations for the international shipping industry in over 20 years and addresses the ongoing supply chain crisis facing American consumers and exporters. The companion legislation passed today by the Senate was introduced by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) in February 2022.

“Senate passage gets us one step closer to seeing the Garamendi-Johnson Ocean Shipping Reform Act signed into law,” said Johnson. “Our bills will provide relief to American agriculture producers and exporters at a time where ports are backed up, inflation is skyrocketing, and American businesses are hurting from seeing their goods stuck at loading docks. The Ocean Shipping Reform Act safeguards American products – let’s get this across the finish line.”

“Access to the American market and its consumers is a privilege, not a right,” said Garamendi. “Congress must restore balance at our ports and tackle the longstanding trade imbalance our nation has with China and other countries head on. The Senate’s passage of the ‘Ocean Shipping Reform Act’ brings us one step closer to protecting American consumers and businesses from price gouging by foreign-flagged ocean carriers. I stand ready to negotiate a final compromise between the House and Senate-passed bills to send this critical legislation to the President’s desk to be signed into law this year.”