[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 52 (Tuesday, May 2, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3248-S3249]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MING CHEN HSU

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a great 
American, Ming Chen Hsu. Last December, Ms. Hsu retired from the 
Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), where she served as a Commissioner 
for nine and one-half years. Ms. Hsu was first appointed to the 
Commission by President George Bush and confirmed by the Senate in 
1990. She was reappointed and reconfirmed in October, 1991.
  Many of my colleagues may not realize it, but the ocean shipping 
system is vital to international trade and is the underpinning for the 
international trade on which the vitality of our Nation's economy 
depends. A fair and open maritime transportation system creates 
business opportunities for U.S. shipping companies and provides more 
favorable transportation conditions for U.S. imports and exports. 
Ensuring a fair, open, competitive and efficient ocean transportation 
system is the mission of the FMC. The Commission has a number of 
important responsibilities under the shipping laws of the United 
States, including: the responsibility to ensure just and reasonable 
practices by the ocean common carriers, marine terminal operators, 
conferences, ports and ocean transportation intermediaries operating in 
the U.S. foreign commerce; monitor and address the laws and practices 
of foreign governments which could have a discriminatory or adverse 
impact on shipping conditions in the U.S. trades; and enforce special 
regulatory requirements applicable to carriers owned or controlled by 
foreign governments.
  Mr. President, for almost a decade, Ms. Hsu played an active and 
important role in the life and decisions of the Commission. The 
Commission and the Nation have been fortunate in her service. During 
her tenure, Ms. Hsu's experience and judgment helped guide the 
Commission through a number of challenges and actions which will 
continue to shape the work of the Commission long after her retirement.
  In 1998, the Congress passed and the President signed the Ocean 
Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), which amended the Shipping Act of 1984, the 
primary shipping statute administered by the FMC. As I have said 
before, the OSRA signaled a paradigm shift in the conduct of the ocean 
liner business and its regulation by the FMC. Where ocean carrier 
pricing and service options were diluted by the conference system and 
``me too'' requirements, an unprecedented degree of flexibility and 
choice will result. Where agency oversight once focused on using rigid 
systems of tariff and contract filing to scrutinize individual 
transactions, the ``big picture'' of ensuring the existence of 
competitive liner service by a healthy ocean carrier industry to 
facilitate fair and open commerce among our trading partners will 
become the oversight priority. This week marks the one-year anniversary 
of the implementation of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998. It is 
most fitting that we take the time to remember the career of Ming Chen 
Hsu this week.
  Mr. President, Ms. Hsu clearly recognized the important change in the 
business and regulation by the FMC of ocean shipping brought about by 
the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. During the Commission's consideration of 
regulations to implement OSRA, Ms. Hsu played a critical role in 
working with the other Commissioners and FMC staff to ensure that the 
regulations embodied the spirit of the new law. As she told a large 
gathering of shippers and industry representatives, ``This has been not 
only a long journey, but a long needed journey * * * With the passage 
of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act and the FMC's new regulations, I 
believe the maritime industry will be far less shackled by burdensome 
and needless regulations * * * I believe we can now look forward to an 
environment which gives you the freedom and flexibility to develop 
innovative solutions to your ever-changing ocean transportation 
needs.''

  Ms. Hsu's wisdom and experience was also instrumental in helping the 
Commission navigate one the Commission's most difficult and highly-
publicized actions in recent years. In 1998, the Commission took action 
against a series of restrictive port conditions in Japan. As a result 
of these conditions, both U.S. carriers and U.S. trade were burdened 
with unreasonably high costs and inefficiencies. Because of the 
Commission's action, steps were taken by Japan to initiate improvements 
to its port system. If ultimately realized, these improvements will 
substantially facilitate and benefit the ocean trade of both nations.
  Mr. President, during her career at the Commission, Ms. Hsu led a 
number of Commission initiatives. Among others, in 1992 Ms. Hsu served 
at the request of then FMC Chairman Christopher Koch as Investigative 
Officer for the Commission's Fact Finding 20. Under her leadership, the 
Fact Finding held numerous hearings across the United States in an 
effort to examine and understand the experience of shippers 
associations and transportation intermediaries under the Shipping Act 
of 1984. Fact Finding 20 ultimately led to Commission efforts to ensure 
that shippers associations and transportation intermediaries received 
all of the benefits intended by Congress in enacting the 1984 Act.
  Commissioner Hsu's service at the Federal Maritime Commission is just 
the most recent milestone in a remarkable life and career. A 
naturalized U.S. citizen, Ming Chen Hsu came as a student to the United 
States from her native Beijing, China. Prior to coming to the 
Commission, Ms. Hsu has had an extensive career in international trade 
and commerce in both the public and private sectors. She was a Vice 
President for International Trade for the RCA Corporation in New York, 
where she held a variety of executive positions in the areas of 
international marketing and planning. She played a pivotal role in 
gaining market access for RCA in China in the 1970's. She was appointed 
by former Governor Thomas H. Kean of New Jersey as Special Trade 
Representative and as Director of the State's Division of International 
Trade, a position she held from 1982 to 1990. In her positions with RCA 
and the

[[Page S3249]]

state of New Jersey, Ms. Hsu led over thirty trade missions to 
countries throughout the world.
  Mr. President, Ms. Hsu has served on several U.S. Federal advisory 
committees, having been appointed by the President, the Secretary of 
Defense, the Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative. 
She is a recipient of numerous awards including the Medal of Freedom 
and the Eisenhower Award for Meritorious Service. She is listed in 
Who's Who of America. Ms. Hsu is a founding member and director of the 
Committee of 100, an organization of prominent Chinese Americans and is 
a member of the National Committee on United States-China Relations. 
She also serves on the National Advisory Forum to the U.S. Holocaust 
Memorial.
  Ms. Hsu is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of George Washington University 
and member of Phi Beta Kappa. At New York University, she was a 
Penfield Fellow for International Law. Ms. Hsu was the recipient of the 
George Washington Alumni Achievement Award in 1983 and holds several 
honorary degrees.
  Mr. President, I congratulate Ming Chen Hsu on her exemplary career 
at the Federal Maritime Commission and salute her contributions to the 
ocean transportation industry. I add my voice to those who say ``thank 
you'' for her service to the Nation. And finally, I wish her smooth 
sailing in her future endeavors.

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