Statement on Congressional Passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act

Lowering prices for Americans is my top priority, and I applaud the Congress for passing the Ocean Shipping Reform Act on a bipartisan basis, which will help lower costs for American retailers, farmers and consumers. I want to thank Senator Klobuchar, Senator Thune, Rep. Garamendi, and Rep. Dusty Johnson for their leadership and helping drive forward this important legislation.

In my State of the Union Address, I called on Congress to address ocean carriers' high prices and unfair practices because rising ocean shipping costs are a major contributing factor to increased costs for American families. During the pandemic, ocean carriers increased their prices by as much as 1,000 percent. And too often, these ocean carriers are refusing to take American exports back to Asia, leaving with empty containers instead. That's costing farmers and ranchers—and our economy—a lot of money.

This bill will make progress reducing costs for families and ensuring fair treatment for American businesses, including farmers and ranchers. I look forward to signing it into law.