Rep. Schrier Seeks Answers on Supply Chain Disruption During Agriculture Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) participated in a House Agriculture Committee hearing centering on the immediate challenges to Washington state and the nation's food supply chain. During the hearing, Rep. Schrier called attention to the effects of supply chain disruption and dysfunction in the 8th District. You can view those remarks here.

"Supply chain dysfunction made worse by the pandemic was first brought to my attention by hay growers in Ellensburg, Washington in my district in 2020. Since then, I have been in frequent communication with growers and exporters around the 8th District, about the issues they are facing," said Rep. Schrier. "For more than a year, they have shared with me how pandemic conditions and the behavior of foreign-owned shipping carriers are hurting their industries, threatening export markets and relationships they have developed over decades."

During her line of questioning, Rep. Schrier sought answers on the role that the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) can play to alleviate the backlog at Washington's ports. Recently, Rep. Schrier met with the White House Port EnvoyJohn Porcari, to address ongoing supply chain disruptions and the need to address gaps in the FMC's regulatory abilities.

Rep. Schrier also mentioned that her office has heard from schools, parents and local officials in the last few weeks about insufficient food stocks at schools and the inconsistent supply of school lunch products. Rep. Schrier expects to send a letter soon to the U.S. Department of Agriculture about their recent announcement of $3 billion to alleviate supply chain issues and their plans to get that funding to school districts.

Rep. Schrier is committed to addressing the supply chain challenges in Washington state and the country as a whole. Earlier this summer, the House passed Rep. Schrier's amendment to the FY2022 Appropriations legislation to enhance assistance to U.S. exporters facing exorbitant fees, unpredictability, and limited access to international shipping. She is also a cosponsor of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill which would support American exports by establishing reciprocal trade opportunities to help reduce the United States' longstanding trade imbalance with China and other countries.