Title: Common Sense Maritime and Consumer Services Protection Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Common Sense Maritime and Consumer Services Protection Act
This bill establishes in the Federal Maritime Commission an Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services to (1) raise public awareness about ocean shipping agreements between carriers, use of ocean transportation intermediaries, and other shipping services; and (2) assist consumers in confidentially resolving disputes and other related matters deemed valuable to the consumer by the Commission.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 709 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 709

 To amend title 46, United States Code, to provide statutory authority 
 for the Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services of 
   the Federal Maritime Commission, to increase public awareness and 
 understanding of ocean shipping services agreements and such Office, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 22, 2019

  Mr. Posey (for himself and Mr. Garamendi) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 46, United States Code, to provide statutory authority 
 for the Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services of 
   the Federal Maritime Commission, to increase public awareness and 
 understanding of ocean shipping services agreements and such Office, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Common Sense Maritime and Consumer 
Services Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION SERVICES OF 
              THE FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION; INCREASING PUBLIC 
              AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING.

    (a) Requirement.--Chapter 403 of title 46, United States Code is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 40108. Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution 
              Services of the Federal Maritime Commission
    ``(a) Authorization of Office.--There shall be in the Federal 
Maritime Commission an Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute 
Resolution Services (in this section referred to as the `Office').
    ``(b) Function of Office.--To promote better public understanding, 
the Office shall seek to--
            ``(1) raise public awareness about ocean shipping 
        agreements between carriers, use of ocean transportation 
        intermediaries, and other shipping services; and
            ``(2) assist consumers in confidentially resolving disputes 
        and other related matters deemed valuable to the consumer by 
        the Commission.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis at the beginning of such 
chapter is further amended by adding at the end the following:

``40108. Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services of 
                            the Federal Maritime Commission.''.
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