The US Congress was debating Monday a law to prevent shipping companies from inflating their prices, at a time when inflation is breaking new records.
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“Inflation is the greatest source of frustration in America right now and the queues at our ports one of the major price gouging factors we are tackling in this bill,” pleaded Chuck Schumer, leader of the Senate Democrats.
In mid-March, the upper house had unanimously adopted this bill which aims to improve the regulation of maritime carriers, by allowing, among other things, a dedicated body to investigate their commercial practices.
The text is submitted to a vote in the House on Monday evening.
The American president urged Congress to adopt this text as soon as possible. “I can’t wait to sign him, because we have to bring the prices down,” he said in a video posted on his Twitter account on Thursday.
“It won’t solve everything, but it will help a lot,” pleaded Joe Biden.
The fight against inflation could weigh on the US economy, even raising fears of a recession.