Bill > HR4183

This bill reauthorizes and updates the operations of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, making several significant changes to maritime shipping regulations. The bill increases the agency's appropriations to $49,200,000 for each fiscal year and modifies the commission's purposes to focus more specifically on common carriage of goods in foreign commerce. It establishes three new national advisory committees: a Shipper Advisory Committee, a Port Advisory Committee, and an Ocean Carrier Advisory Committee, which will provide input on the competitiveness and efficiency of international ocean freight delivery. The bill expands the FMC's investigative powers, including the ability to investigate complaints against shipping exchanges and protect the confidentiality of investigation documents. It also introduces new requirements for data collection, limiting duplicate reporting and mandating annual reports on trade imbalances and carrier practices. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to address potential anticompetitive practices, particularly by carriers from countries with non-market economies or those on trade watch lists, and requires the FMC to develop rules for containerized freight price indexes within three years of enactment.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4183/all-info