Johnson’s bipartisan bills become law

Language from two bipartisan bills led by U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) was included in the newly enacted 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Rep. Johnson’s provisions will create a congressional charter for the National American Indian Veterans (NAIV) organization and ban the use of LOGINK, a Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-controlled shipping platform, at U.S. ports.

“Securing these provisions will protect our imports and exports from the CCP’s spying eyes and ensure our Native American veterans get long-overdue recognition they deserve,” Rep. Johnson said. “After years of hard work and team effort, I’m glad to see more success for South Dakota.”

President Joe Biden on Dec. 22, 2023, signed into law the NDAA for fiscal year 2024, H.R. 2670, which includes language from the bipartisan Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act of 2023, H.R. 1836.

Rep. Johnson sponsored H.R. 1836 on March 28, 2023, alongside lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) to address the CCP’s influence on the U.S. shipping industry via LOGINK software, which is used at more than 20 ports worldwide and stores data on global shipping container flows. 

If LOGINK had access to U.S. carriers and ports, the CCP would gain a competitive advantage by being allowed to underbid foreign competitors and further increase dependency on Chinese markets, according to Rep. Johnson.

H.R. 1836 prohibits U.S. ports from using LOGINK software, and allows the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to investigate foreign shipping exchanges like the Shanghai Shipping Exchange to preempt improper business practices. The FMC is also authorized to streamline data standards for maritime freight logistics, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Johnson’s staff.

The enacted NDAA also includes a bipartisan, bicameral bill offered by Rep. Johnson that grants a federal charter to NAIV, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization serving Native American military veterans in collaboration with its national leadership and 14 regional offices in all 50 states.

Included as an amendment to the NDAA is the National American Indian Veterans Charter Act, H.R. 3235, which Rep. Johnson sponsored on May 11, 2023, with original cosponsors U.S. Reps. Tom Cole (R-OK) and Sharice Davids (D-KS). U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) sponsored the companion bill, S. 1554, on the same day with 35 original cosponsors.

A federal charter for NAIV will put the organization on the same footing with veterans groups for Italian-Americans, Polish-Americans, and Catholic-Americans, according to Rep. Johnson’s staff.