Commissioner Daniel B. Maffei has been designated as the Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. The designation was made by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on March 29, 2021. Chairman Maffei is a sitting member of the FMC and replaces Michael A. Khouri in the role of Chairman.
A native of New York, Chairman Maffei was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms. His previous professional experience includes serving in the Department of Commerce during the Obama Administration, and earlier in his career, working as a Capitol Hill aide and as a broadcast reporter. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and he earned master’s degrees from Columbia and Harvard Universities.
“I am grateful and humbled by the confidence President Biden has placed in me by appointing me Chairman at such a critical time for our Nation’s supply chain,” commented Chairman Maffei on his new role. “Due to the effects of COVID-19 and an unprecedented import boom, we are dealing with serious challenges to America’s international ocean transportation system – challenges that the FMC has a vital role in addressing, both on its own as an independent agency and in cooperation with other agencies. I want to sincerely thank Chairman Michael Khouri for his years of diligent service to the FMC and to the country. He and I sometimes have policy differences but, as Chairman, he was inclusive of all the Commissioners in making important decisions and worked collaboratively with stakeholders in the ocean transportation system to reach consensus solutions. I will seek his advice as a fellow Commissioner and friend. I also hope to maintain my close working relationships with Commissioners Dye, Sola, and Bentzel, all of whom I deeply respect. Finally, I look forward to working in a new role with one of the most qualified and dedicated staff of civil service professionals in the federal government.”
The mission of the Federal Maritime Commision is to ensure a competitive and reliable international ocean transportation supply system that supports the U.S. economy and protects the public from unfair and deceptive practices.