“President Biden and Vice President Harris are closely monitoring any attempts by companies to opportunistically raise prices, including ocean shippers and others, during the ongoing labor dispute at ports along the East Coast and Gulf Coast,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
“No one should exploit disruptions for profit, especially at a time when entire regions of the country are recovering from Hurricane Helene,” he added.
“The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has affirmed it will exercise the authority granted by the President’s newly signed legislation to ensure that any fees imposed are legitimate and lawful. President Biden has instructed the administration to use every available federal authority and to support state and local officials as they exercise their powers. We are closely monitoring potential supply chain impacts and are assessing ways to address them, if necessary.”