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Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022

Public Law 117-146 · S. 3580 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Jun 16, 2022 · Transportation and Public Works

Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Cosponsors (30): Sen. John Thune,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 369 yea, 42 nay369–42
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022

This act revises requirements governing ocean shipping to increase the authority of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to promote the growth and development of U.S. exports through an ocean transportation system that is competitive, efficient, and economical. For example, the bill requires the FMC to (1) investigate complaints about detention and demurrage charges (i.e., late fees) charged by common ocean carriers, (2) determine whether those charges are reasonable, and (3) order refunds for unreasonable charges. It also prohibits common ocean carriers, marine terminal operators, or ocean transportation intermediaries from unreasonably refusing cargo space when available or resorting to other unfair or unjustly discriminatory methods.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 369 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

369 yea42 nay16 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(213)

Republicans who voted yea(156)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 703 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 4996Related bill

    Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.

  1. Jun 16, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-146.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jun 14, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Jun 13, 2022FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 369 - 42 (Roll no. 256).House roll call 256
  6. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  7. FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  8. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3580.
  9. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  10. FloorFloor · Mr. DeFazio moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  11. Apr 4, 2022FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  12. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  13. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  14. Mar 31, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  15. FloorFloor · The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
  16. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  17. Mar 24, 2022CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 311.
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  19. Mar 22, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  20. Feb 3, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  21. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 5017SenateSen. Maria CantwellD-WA· offered Mar 31, 2022Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Mar 31, 2022: Amendment SA 5017 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.