Kim commends Biden’s push to open Southern California ports 24/7

U.S. Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) applauded action by President Joe Biden this week to open up Southern California ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach, known together as the San Pedro Bay Port Complex, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help clear supply chain disruptions.

“I am pleased that the Biden administration acknowledges and is taking action to address the preventable economic and public safety crises directly caused in part by backlogged ports,” Rep. Kim said.

The San Pedro Bay Port Complex, which consists of the two busiest container ports in the United States, is experiencing its largest backlog of ships on record, with almost 60 vessels waiting to enter the ports Tuesday.

“Our Southern California communities are reeling from the impacts of backlogged ships at our LA and Long Beach ports, from supply chain shortages driving up inflation to the recent oil spill that may have been caused by a ship anchor,” said Rep. Kim. 

The congresswoman recently joined U.S. Reps. Michelle Steel (R-CA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), and Ken Calvert (R-CA) to urge President Biden to open a federal investigation into the oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach, Calif.

“The citizens of Southern California deserve to know that operations happening offshore are safe and secure. Trust has been broken and accountability is required,” the members wrote in an Oct. 5 letter sent to the president. Your administration’s accountability and transparency will help make recovery possible and hopefully prevent any future spills.”

In other efforts, Rep. Kim in March urged Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Michael Kouri to take action regarding vessel-operating common carriers declining to ship U.S. agricultural commodity exports from U.S. ports, and in January requested that California Gov. Gavin Newsom, state health officials and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors include dock workers and other personnel at the San Pedro Bay Port Complex as essential workers along with others eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, according to her office.

“I have been working since January to safely reopen our ports and address supply chain backlogs, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress and federal, state and local officials to support pro-growth policies that help our economic recovery and protect the public health and safety of local communities,” Rep. Kim said.