[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1081 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1081

  To amend the Shipping Act of 1984 to reform certain ocean shipping 
                   practices, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 28, 1995

 Mr. Oberstar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Shipping Act of 1984 to reform certain ocean shipping 
                   practices, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO SHIPPING ACT OF 1984.

    (a) New Declared Purpose.--Section 2 of the Shipping Act of 1984 
(46 U.S.C. App. 1701) is amended by striking ``and'' after the 
semicolon in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end of 
paragraph (3) and inserting ``; and'', and by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
            ``(4) to promote the growth and development of United 
        States exports through competitive, nondiscriminatory, and 
        efficient ocean transportation.''.
    (b) Prohibition on Limiting Ability of Conference Member To Enter 
or Perform Service Contract.--
            (1) In general.--Section 10(c) of the Shipping Act of 1984 
        (46 U.S.C. App. 1709(c)) is amended by striking ``or'' after 
        the semicolon at the end of paragraph (5), by striking the 
        period at the end of paragraph (6) and inserting ``; and'', and 
        by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(7) limit the ability of another member of the conference 
        or group from entering into or performing under a service 
        contract.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 4(a) of the Shipping Act 
        of 1984 (46 U.S.C. App. 1703(a)) is amended by adding ``and'' 
        after the semicolon at the end of paragraph (5), by striking 
        ``; and'' at the end of paragraph (6) and inserting a period, 
        and by striking paragraph (7).
    (c) Shortening Period for Giving Notice of Independent Action.--
Section 5(b)(8) of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C. App. 1704(b)(8)) 
is amended by striking ``10 calendar'' each place it appears and 
inserting ``2 calendar''.

SEC. 3. NEGOTIATING STRATEGY TO REDUCE FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP AND 
              CONTROL OF OCEAN COMMON CARRIERS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall develop, submit to the 
Congress, and begin implementing a negotiation strategy to persuade 
foreign governments to divest themselves of ownership and control of 
ocean common carriers (as that term is defined in section 3(18) of the 
Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C. App. 1702)).

SEC. 4. REFORM OF FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION.

    (a) Reduction of Staff.--The Federal Maritime Commission--
            (1) during fiscal years 1996 and 1997, shall act to reduce 
        the total number of individuals employed by the Commission to a 
        number that, by the end of fiscal year 1997, is at least 15 
        percent less than the number of individuals employed by the 
        Commission on the date of the enactment of this Act; and
            (2) after fiscal year 1997, may not employ a total number 
        of individuals that exceeds 85 percent of the number of 
        individuals employed by the Commission on the date of the 
        enactment of this Act.
    (b) Devotion of Commission Personnel To Protecting United States 
Shippers and Carriers.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Federal Maritime Commission shall develop 
and submit to the Congress a plan for increasing the amount of 
resources of the Commission (including increasing the number of 
personnel of the Commission) that are engaged in protecting United 
States shippers and ocean common carriers (as those terms are defined 
in section 3(18) of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C. App. 1702)) 
against restrictive and unfair practices of foreign governments and 
foreign-flag ocean common carriers.
                                 <all>