PLASKETT JOINS COLLEAGUES TO REINTRODUCE AFFORDABLE SHIPPING FOR ALL ACT

For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland
January 22, 2025 202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

PLASKETT JOINS COLLEAGUES TO REINTRODUCE AFFORDABLE SHIPPING FOR ALL ACT

Washington, D.C. - This week, Congresswoman Plaskett joined her colleagues to reintroduce the Affordable Shipping for All Act in the U.S. House to end the discriminatory and exclusionary shipping practices faced by residents and businesses in the Virgin Islands, Hawai'i, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and other U.S. territories.

"The Virgin Islands, other U.S. territories and non-contiguous states continue to deal with unfair and exclusionary practices from the U.S. Postal Service and other shipping companies, which have become more pronounced within the past few years," said Congresswoman Plaskett. "The Affordable Shipping for All Act is a critical piece of legislation that will ensure shipping companies, including the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) are held to a uniform standard of equitable treatment."

Congressman Case shared, H.R. 380, the Affordable Shipping for All Act, "will ensure that no shipping company, including the USPS, can impose discriminatory rates or exclude non-contiguous areas from receiving shipments. It will also require that shipping rates for non-contiguous areas reflect the actual cost of service, rather than arbitrary price increases."

"I'd like to thank Rep. Case for his leadership in the matter of fair shipping practice," said Rep. Moylan. "Guam and Hawaii naturally share many similarities, but all non-contiguous areas are at a severe disadvantage in domestic shipping. I fully support this bill as it represents a step in the right direction in solving maritime disparities in the U.S."

"We introduced legislation so that USPS and companies like Amazon, which sell products online, don't charge more for shipping to Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, and other jurisdictions outside the 48 contiguous states," said Rep. Hernández Rivera.

"The people of our islands depend heavily on shipping for many goods, from basic necessities to construction materials, so cost increases in shipping can severely impact family budgets," said Rep. Radewagen. "Thank you to Congressman Case, and I'm happy to cosponsor and support this bipartisan effort that protects the economies that rely on shipping the most."

"One of the most significant challenges shared by those living outside the Lower 48 is the unaffordable cost of goods and materials," said Rep. King-Hinds. "In the Northern Marianas, the people I represent work hard to live lives comparable to their fellow Americans in the states, but the reality is that the very basic necessities of food, consumer goods, and essential materials are far more expensive. A dollar simply doesn't stretch as far in non-contiguous areas as it does in the mainland. I want to thank Congressman Case for shining a spotlight on this disparity in Congress, and I am proud to join him in advocating for solutions to lower costs for Americans outside the Lower 48, including those in the Northern Marianas."

Rather than equal treatment, residents and businesses of the non-contiguous U.S. face four persistent and unfair shipping practices that drive up costs and make life harder for millions of Americans living in U.S. territories and non-contiguous states.

Congresswoman Plaskett shared, "As my colleagues have shared, this legislation is incredibly vital for residents in our non-contiguous districts who depend so heavily on shipping to access consumer goods, prescription medicine and other essential items. I would like to thank Congressman Case for his willingness to lead this timely bill and his inclusion and awareness of the Virgin Islands and other U.S. territories."

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