U.S. House of Representatives

Committee on the Judiciary

F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Chairman

www.house.gov/judiciary

For immediate release Contact: Jeff Lungren/ Terry Shawn

March 27, 2001 (202) 225-2492

Sensenbrenner Introduces Legislation to End Outdated Shipping Antitrust Immunity

Consumers Would Benefit From Ending 1916 Exemption

WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.) today is introducing legislation to repeal an exemption from antitrust laws for ship owners. Congress passed this exemption in 1916 to protect American ship owners. However, in recent years, the last remaining major, American-owned, global shipping companies have been sold to foreign companies. Thus, this exemption provides antitrust protection to foreign ship owners at the expense of American consumers.

"What justification could possibly exist for a law that allows foreign ship owners to fix prices at the expense of American consumers? Clearly it's time to repeal this outdated exemption," said Chairman Sensenbrenner.

Chairman Sensenbrenner's bill is identical to legislation introduced last Congress, the Free Market Antitrust Immunity Reform (FAIR) Act (H.R. 3138), by House International Relations Chairman Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) and Rep. Asa Hutchinson (R-Ark.). Groups supporting that legislation included the National Association of Manufacturers, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the American Farm Bureau Federation, International Mass Retail Association, and the Coalition for Fair Play in Ocean Shipping.

##30##