Washington, DC – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 (H.R. 4996) and Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021 (H.R. 5609) today. Smith championed both pieces of legislation.
“The Ocean Shipping Reform Act and Cattle Contract Library Act are crucial to farmers, ranchers, and consumers all across Nebraska,” said Smith. “I applaud the passage of both bills today as they will benefit not only the Third District, but the agriculture industry, and its exports, nationwide. I encourage swift passage as the bills move to the Senate.”
The Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021 offers more transparency to the complex beef market by establishing a library for cattle contracts within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Similar to the existing Swine Contract Library, this library would provide cattle producers with useful information from meat packers.
Following the letter Congressman Smith led to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) in March that raised the alarm about foreign ocean carriers leaving U.S. ports with empty containers, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 would update regulations enforced by the FMC and prohibit ocean carriers from “unreasonably” refusing U.S. exports.
