Press Releases

LOWELL, MA – This week, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) supported two critical pieces of legislation designed to ease inflationary pressures that are driving costs up for families across the nation. The House took up and passed bills to crack down on exorbitant shipping costs driving up the prices of imported goods and slash prices at the grocery store and the gas pump by supporting farmers and ranchers.

“Working families like the one I grew up in simply cannot afford an eight percent increase to their cost of living. I supported two key legislative solutions this week because they specifically target food and gas prices, both of which are the primary drivers of inflation increases in recent months,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “Passage of these bills, as well as the enforcement of anti-price gouging measures by federal enforcers, are key to lowering out of pocket costs for families and rebuilding our economy. This week was an important step in the right direction, and I look forward to building on this progress to advance additional anti-inflationary policies that will improve the lives of everyone who calls the Third District home.”

To address shipping companies’ price-gouging that’s leading directly to increased costs for American farmers and small businesses, Trahan supported passage of the bipartisan Ocean Shipping Reform Act. Currently, exporters and importers face unpredictable shipping itineraries, rising freight costs, and even refusal by foreign shipping companies to carry American cargo. Those costs have been passed along to American consumers. This legislation will make the investments necessary for the Federal Maritime Commission to combat exorbitant shipping costs by strengthening its enforcement action against exploitative business practices and prohibiting ocean carriers from unreasonably refusing to transport American cargo.

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act is a bipartisan, bicameral agreement that has already passed the Senate. Following the House’s vote this week, the legislation moves to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

Trahan also supported passage of the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, which will strengthen America’s food and agriculture supply chains, crack down on anti-competitive conduct and price gouging by massive meat and poultry corporations, and lower food and gas prices for families. Specifically, the legislation:

• Assists farmers working to become less dependent on foreign fertilizer shipments that have skyrocketed in price because of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Helps increase competition in the meat industry so that small and medium sized producers no longer have to rely on massive meat-packing companies that have been caught engaging in price-gouging schemes during the pandemic.
• Supports increased biofuel production to reduce gas prices being driven up by Big Oil corporation malpractice.
• Empowers the Department of Agriculture to strengthen local supply chains to make the nation’s food systems more resilient to extreme price swings.

Each of the proposals in the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act received bipartisan support prior to the House’s floor vote today. However only 7 Republicans supported passage of the legislation.

Passage of both the Ocean Shipping Reform Act and the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act are part of ongoing efforts to fight inflation impacting working families. Trahan previously supported passage of the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act to combat Big Oil’s excessive gas price hikes. Earlier this year, she also voted to pass the America COMPETES Act to strengthen the United States’ broken supply chains and prevent food shortages. 

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