Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 75.djvu/804

 764

Ante, p. 762.

Infra.

26 Stat. 209. 15 USC 1-7.

28 Stat. 570. 15 USC 8-11.

Existing agreem e n t s, modification, etc.

Filing of carrier rates, e t c.

PUBLIC LAW 87-346-OCT. 3, 1961

[75

ST A T.

ference membership of other qualified carriers in the trade, or fails to provide that any member may withdraw from membership upon reasonable notice without penalty for such withdrawal. "The Commission shall disapprove any such agreement, after notice and hearing, on a finding of inadequate policing of the obligations ilihder it, or of failure or refusal to adopt and maintain reasonable procedures for promptly and fairly hearing and considering shippers' requests and complaints. "Any agreement and any modification or cancellation of any agreement not approved, or disapproved, by the Commission shall be unlawful, and agreements, modifications, and cancellations shall be lawful only when and as long as approved by the Commission; before approval or after disapproval it shall be unlawful to carry out in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any such agreement, modification, or cancellation; except that tariff rates, fares, and charges, and classifications, rules, and regulations explanatory thereof (including changes in special rates and charges covered by section 14b of this Act which do not involve a change in the spread between such rates and charges and the rates and charges applicable to noncontract shippers) agreed upon by approved conferences, and changes and amendments thereto, if otherwise in accordance with law, shall be permitted to take effect without prior approval upon compliance with the publication and filing requirements of section 18(b) hereof and with the provisions of any regulations the Commission may adopt. "Every agreement, modification, or cancellation lawful under this section, or permitted under section 14b, shall be excepted from the provisions of the Act approved July 2, 1890, entitled 'An Act to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies', and amendments and Acts supplementary thereto, and the provisions of sections 73 to 77, both inclusive, of the Act approved August 27, 1894, entitled 'An Act to reduce taxation, to provide revenue for the Government, and for other purposes', and amendments and Acts supplementary thereto. "Whoever violates any provision of this section or of section 14b shall be liable to a penalty of not more than $1,000 for each day such violation continues, to be recovered by the United States in a civil action." SEC. 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 14, 14b, and 15, Shipping Act, 1916, as amended by this Act, all existing agreements which are lawful under the Shipping Act, 1916, immediately prior to enactment of this Act, shall remain lawful unless disapproved, canceled, or modified by the Commission pursuant to the provisions of the Shipping Act, 1916, as amended by this Act: Prcfvided, however, That all such existing agreements which are rendered unlawful by the provisions of such Act as hereby amended must be amended to comply with the provisions of such Act as hereby amended, and if such amendments are filed for approval within six months after the enactment of t;his Act, such agreements so amended shall be lawful for a further period of not to exceed one year after such filing. Within such year the Commission shall approve, disapprove, cancel or modify all such agreements and amendments in accordance with the provisions of this Act. SEC. 4. Section 18, Shipping Act, 1916, is hereby amended as follows: (a) Insert " (a) " immediately after the section number "18". (b) Add the following subsection 18(b): " (b)(1) From and after ninety days following enactment hereof every common carrier by water in foreign commerce and every conference of such carriers shall file with the Commission and keep open

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