Trump proposes two individuals for positions at the Federal Maritime Commission
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), the body responsible for regulating U.S. ocean shipping, is set for a change as President Trump has nominated Laura DiBella and Robert Harvey for commissioner positions.
Laura DiBella, a government affairs advisor with Tallahassee law firm Adams and Reese, is nominated to succeed former FMC Chairman Louis Sola, whose term ends on June 30, 2028. DiBella, a Florida native, previously served as Florida's first female Commerce Secretary and the executive director of the Florida Harbor Pilots Association.
Robert Harvey, the president and executive director of the Florida Opportunity Fund, is expected to succeed Louis Sola as the FMC chairman, given his longer term. Harvey, who was previously nominated to the FMC, has also worked as executive director of the Florida Development Finance Corporation and was a member of the state's Judicial Nominating Commission. He is nominated to serve until June 30, 2029.
The nominations of DiBella and Harvey now move to the Senate for confirmation hearings.
The FMC, a five-member commission, is currently without a chairman since June, when Sola's term ended. Current commissioners include Rebecca Dye (nominated by President George W. Bush in 2002), Daniel Maffei (nominated by President Barack Obama in 2016), and Max Vekich (a former longshoreman nominated by President Joseph Biden in 2021).
Notably, there is no information available about who President Trump proposed to replace Louis Sola at the FMC after his departure on June 30, 2028.
The Trump administration has made the revitalization of the American maritime sector a top priority. With the new nominations, the FMC is poised to play a significant role in this effort.
Meanwhile, Carl Bentzel, who was previously nominated to the FMC, has moved on to become the president of the National Association of Waterfront Employers following the completion of his FMC term in December, 2024.
As the confirmation hearings for DiBella and Harvey unfold, the future of the FMC and the American maritime sector will be closely watched.
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