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Klobuchar confident shipping reform bill is already making a difference

The co-author of legislation that targets shipping backlogs is confident the bill is already making a difference while it waits to be signed into law.

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act recently passed the full Senate with unanimous support, and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar tells Brownfield that sends a strong message.

“To tell the Maritime Commission to put out a rule immediately that says (the shippers) have to charge fair rates and that they’ve actually got to take our stuff in their containers. They can’t export air anymore.”

The Minnesota Democrat introduced the bill with South Dakota Republican John Thune and says the fact it got unanimous support along with the House passing a similar version is a “shot across the bow” to shippers.

“Get your act together, be fair to our manufacturers and farmers, or we’re going to even do more because we can take away their antitrust exemption.”

Klobuchar says the shipping industry is comprised of foreign-owned conglomerates that have been charging four times more for shipping containers, resulting in a seven-fold increase in profits.

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