Aumua and Colleagues Introduce Ports Act to Prevent Future Shipping Slowdowns

Fa'asamoa

Washington, D.C. – Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, U.S. Members of Congress Amata Radewagen (AS) Dan Newhouse (WA-4), Dave Reichert (WA-8), and Mike Coffman (CO-6) have introduced the Protecting Orderly and Responsible Transit of Shipment (PORTS) Act (H.R. 3398). The prolonged contract negotiations and slowdown of cargo handling at the West Coast ports late last year and earlier this year caused significant disruptions throughout the economy. Accordingly, it became evident that Congress must find a way to prevent this from happening again.

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The Members of Congress said, "For our constituents who depend on trade, it is critical that we maintain the efficient movement of goods into and out of our ports. If we do not, our economy and our communities suffer just as they did during the most recent West Coast ports contract negotiations. The impact of these negotiations and the work slowdown that accompanied them was felt across the country: producers feared lost business, perishable products rotted or expired, manufacturers faced delays, and retailers worried about stocking their shelves. While the parties ultimately came to an agreement and concluded the contract negotiations, the process took far too long and the damage to the rest of our economy far too great. The update to the Taft-Hartley Act and a study on the slowdown called for in the act will help to ensure that future negotiations cannot cause such harm to our businesses, growers, manufacturers, and producers across the nation."

"In American Samoa, more than anywhere else in the U.S. and even the other territories, the continued flow of goods to and from the islands by way of shipping is essential to our economy and when these slow-downs occur, we are left extremely vulnerable, which is why I am proud to join together with my colleagues to introduce this vital legislation that will help to prevent any further shipping slow-downs," stated Amata.

The companion piece to the PORTS Act was introduced in the Senate by Senator Cory Gardner (CO). The Senator stated, "I'm pleased to see the PORTS Act introduced in the House, and I commend Reps. Reichert, Coffman, Newhouse, and Radewagen for their leadership on this important issue. This legislation recognizes the tremendous benefits of trade, and paves the way for local leaders to prevent and mitigate damaging disputes at our ports – protecting American businesses, consumers, and our economy."

The Taft-Hartley Act currently allows the president to intervene when there is a "threatened or actual strike or lockout affecting an entire industry…[which] will, if permitted to occur or to continue, imperil the national health or safety." The PORTS Act clarifies current law to ensure the president can intervene to protect the economy in the case of a slowdown. The bill would also allow governors to appoint boards of inquiry under Taft-Hartley as well as petition a court of jurisdiction to intervene in the case of a slowdown, strike, or lockout. The final piece of the legislation calls for a study on the recent West Coast ports slowdown in order to understand its impact and prevent future occurrences. The full text of the legislation can be found here.

From May of 2014 through February of 2015, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) negotiated a multi-year contract covering the 29 West Coast container ports and the longshore, clerk, and foreman workers who are employed at these ports. On May 20th and 22nd, the respective parties each ratified the agreement reached in February. According to the Federal Reserve, exports from West Coast ports dropped by 20.5% in the first quarter of 2015.

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Fa'aulu Tulafono e Puipuia le Telegese o Fela'ua'iga o Oloa I Va'a

Sa auai fa'atasi le afioga i le Faipule o le Konekeresi o Aumua Amata ma Faipule o le Konekeresi, o Dan Newhouse (WA-4), Dave Reichert (WA-8), ma Mike Coffman (CO-6) i le fa'auluina o le Tulafono Taufa'aofi e Puipuia ai ma Fa'atuatuaina le Fela'ua'iga o Oloa i Va'a (PORTS) Act (H.R. 3398). Na avea le fa'aumiumi o feutana'iga ma le telegese o galuega i uta a va'a i le Talafatai i Sisifo (West Coast), i le fa'ai'uga o le tausaga ua mavae ma le amataga o le tausaga nei ma pogai o le o le iloga ona motusia o galuega ma afaina ai le tamaoaiga aoao. O le ala foi i lena na tula'i mai ai ua tatau i le Konekeresi ona saili se auala e puipuia ai lenei tulaga i le toe tula'i mai.

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Afioga I le Faipule o le Konekeresi, Aumua Amata a o saunoa i se fonotaga e fa'atatau
i le solotete'e lea na foia i se taimi o le amataga o le tausaga nei.

Sa fa'aleo le le finagalo o Totino o le Konekeresi e fa'apea, "E taua tele lo tatou fa'atumauina o le gasologa lelei o oloa e sau i totonu ma auina ese atu mai o tatou taulaga mo nai o tatou tagata e fa'alagolago i fefa'atauaiga. A tatou le faia, o le a afaina e le gata i o tatou tagata ma le tamaoaiga e pei ona i ai i feutaga'iga i taulaga o le Talafatai i Sisifo. Na lagona ma a'afia le atunu'u atoa i nei feutana'iga ma le telegese o le fa'agasolo o galuega: na matata'u faioloa i leai o ni a latou pisinisi, o le pala o oloa po o le le aoga o oloa ona ua tuana'i le taimi e tatau ona faaaogaina ai, o le tolopo o galuega a le ‘augaosioloa, ma le popole o fa'atauoloa i le gaogao o a latou fata i faleoloa. E ui lava ina maua le i'uga a itu e lua mulimuli ane ai i feutaga'iga,a ua fai si umi ma ogaoga le afaina ai lo tatou tamaoaiga. Ua avea le toeteuteuga lea o le Tulafono (Taft-Hartley Act), ma se su'esu'ega I le fa'atuai o le fela'ua'iga o oloa o le a fesoasoani ia mautinoa e le toe afaina a tatou pisinisi i ni feutana'iga i le lumana'i, e le toe a'afia ai le ‘aufaifa'atoaga, gaosioloa, ma le ‘aufa'atauoloa i le atunu'u atoa."

E taua tele mo Amerika Samoa ma lona tamaoaiga nai lo se isi lava vaega o le Unaite Setete po o isi fo'i teritori, le sologa lelei o le fela'iaiga o oloa i va'a aga'i i totonu po o le auina ese mai Amerika Samoa pe a tula'i mai tulaga nei e fa'aluafesasi ai oloa fela'ua'i e matua lamatia lava tatou, o le pogai fo'i lea ua fa'agae'etia lava a'u e aufa'atasi ma uso a faipule e fa'aulu lenei tulafono taua o le a fesoasoani tele e puipuia le fa'aletonu o le fela'uaiga o oloa i va'a i se isi taimi o lumana'i," o le saunoaga lea a Amata.

Ua avea le Tulafono lea, (Taft-Hartley Act), e mafai ai e le peresitene ona fa'auilavea pe a tula'i mai se "tulaga e ono lamatia ai po o se solotete'e, po o fa'ava'atu'ia e a'afia ai oloa a le atunu'u atoa…[lea a fa'apea] o le a, tu'u e tula'i mai pe fa'aauauina, o le a lamatia ai le soifua maloloina ma le saogalemu o le malo atoa." O le fa'apupulaga a le Tulafono lea i le taimi nei, e mautinoa e mafai e le peresitene ona fa'auilavea e puipuia ai le tamaoaiga pe a tula'i mai se fa'aletonu e tuta'ia ai le gasologa o galuega. O le a mafai foi e le pili lenei ona tu'u le malosiaga i kovana e tofia ai ni komiti fa'atonu o su'esu'ega i lalo o le Tulafono (Taft-Hartley), pe talosaga fo'i se fa'amasinoga e i lalo o lona malosiaga lenei mataupu ina ia fa'auilavea pe a tula'i mai le taofia o mo se vaitaimi, solotete'e, po o le taofia atoa o galuega. O le toe vaega o le tulafono, o lo'o fa'atonuina ai se su'esu'ega e faia i fa'afitauli o le taofia o galuega i taulaga lata mai nei i le Talafatai i Sisifo ina ia maua ai se malamalamaga i a'afiaga ma puipuia ai le toe tula'i mai i le lumana'i. E le o maua iinei le atoaga o lenei tulafono.

Ua uma ona feutana'i Iuni nei, (Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), ma le International Longshore ma le Wharehouse Union (ILWU) mai ia Me o le 2014 e o'o atu ia Fepuari o le 2015, mo se konekarate mo nai tausaga e aofia taulaga e 29 o le Talafatai i Sisifo mo pusa (u'amea) oloa, tagata faigaluega i oloa i luga o uafu, failautusi, ma fomeni o lo'o fa'afaigaluegaina i nei taulaga mo va'a. O le aso 20- ma le 22 o Me, na pasia aloaia ai le maliliega ia Fepuari. E tusa ma le ripoti mai le Federal Reserve, na pa'u oloa fa'atau atu i fafo mai le Talafatai i Sisifo i le 20.5% (pasene), i le kuata muamua o le 2015.

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