Axne says federal shipping reform levels the playing field

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Axne says federal shipping reform levels the playing field

A U.S. Representative from Iowa says the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, signed into law by President Biden, will help combat supply chain challenges.

Democrat Cindy Axne tells Brownfield, “We had private carriers coming over – for the most part – from Asia, hauling their goods over here, leaving them at port where we were struggling to get our goods out, and not taking our goods because they made more money by high-tailing it back across the ocean with an empty container.”

Axne says the legislation protects American consumers and companies from 300-percent price increases foreign-owned companies have been charging to import goods.

“We’re not going to be gouged again by private companies who care more about money in their own pocket rather than making sure our goods get out from our farmers here in Iowa,” she said.

The new law authorizes the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to self-initiate investigations of ocean common carrier’s business practices and apply enforcement measures.

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