Federal Maritime Commission Reauthorization Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Johnson (SD)
Passed House
Summary
Strengthen oversight of the international ocean freight system. This bill would reauthorize and fund the Federal Maritime Commission while rewriting definitions, data rules, advisory committees, and an investigations framework to tighten scrutiny of ocean shipping markets.
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- Shippers and importers: Requires more detailed quarterly data reports, adds public disclosure of marine terminal operator information in annual reports, and orders rulemaking to create containerized freight price indexes with a final rule due in 3 years.
- Ports and terminal operators: Creates a 13-member National Port Advisory Committee with 5 members from marine terminal operators and 5 from port authorities, and brings port and terminal data into FMC reporting and oversight.
- Ocean carriers and regulators: Expands the definition of "ocean common carrier" to cover carriers tied to certain foreign countries, shortens Shipping Exchange oversight timelines, and creates a new compliance and investigations section that lets the FMC probe alleged market manipulation and control disclosure of investigation materials.
*Authorizes $49.2 million in annual appropriations for the Federal Maritime Commission for FY2026 and FY2027.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
More foreign linked carriers under FMC rules
This bill would broaden who counts as an ocean common carrier. It would include carriers owned or controlled by companies tied to countries on certain trade law lists, such as nonmarket economies, priority foreign countries, or entities under USTR monitoring. Simple minority investments would not qualify. More carriers would fall under FMC rules.
New watchdog rules for shipping exchanges
This bill would let anyone send tips to the FMC about market manipulation by registered shipping exchanges. The FMC would have to investigate quickly and report findings to Congress when it confirms incidents. A timing milestone for exchange oversight would move to two years after this Act is enacted. The FMC would issue an advance notice within 1 year and a final rule within 3 years on how price‑index data is collected, used, and protected. Most investigation records would stay confidential unless a majority of Commissioners vote to release them for a case.
Fewer duplicate data requests for shippers
This bill would require the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to publish a quarterly report. It would bar the FMC from asking for the same data twice if that data is already sent to the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or the Department of Commerce. The FMC could still ask for it if the data is not timely or not in a usable form. This could cut reporting burden for ocean carriers and importers.
FMC funding for 2026 and 2027
This bill would provide $49.2 million in fiscal year 2026 and $49.2 million in fiscal year 2027 for the FMC. This would fund the agency’s operations for those two years.
More detail in FMC yearly report
This bill would add items to the FMC’s annual report. The report would analyze trade imbalances using data the FMC collects. It would also share summary results from the carrier audit program. Public disclosures would now include marine terminal operator information.
FMC committees and mission wording updated
This bill would restructure FMC advisory bodies. It would create a Port Committee with 13 members (5 terminal operators, 5 port authorities, 3 longshore and maritime labor) and a Carrier Committee with 9 members, including at least 3 ocean transportation intermediaries. A Shipper Committee would be designated. It would narrow purpose wording to focus on common carriage in foreign commerce and change “promote” to “support.” It would also repeal a prior statutory section.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Johnson (SD)
SD • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]
MS • R
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/26/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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