[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 24, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 24, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                H.R. 4477, STATE BOATING SAFETY FUNDING

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                          HON. GERRY E. STUDDS

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 24, 1994

  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation--H.R. 
4477--to ensure stable funding for the Coast Guard's State Boating 
Safety Grant Program. This bill is necessitated by the Coast Guard's 
fiscal year 1995 budget which requested no funding for this program. 
Ending this Federal support would cripple State recreational boating 
safety programs and surely bring an increase in boating accidents, 
injuries, and deaths.
  Since this Federal grant program began in the early 1970's, boating 
fatalities have dropped five-fold, from 20 per 100,000 boats in 1971 to 
4 per 100,000 boats in 1992. Some have argued that this success is a 
clear indication that it's time for the Federal Government to reduce 
its role in the program. Unfortunately, safety is not something that 
can be achieved and victory declared; it must be worked at every day to 
simply maintain progress and to, hopefully, make our waterways safe 
recreation spots for our Nation's tens of millions of boating 
enthusiasts.
  Those who argue that the Federal role should be eliminated assume 
that the States will pick up the slack. But this is not the case. These 
Federal dollars provide the leverage necessary to encourage many State 
legislatures to support boating safety. The National Association of 
State Boating Law Administrators [NASBLA] testified before the 
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries that, rather than make up 
the difference, many States would significantly reduce funding for 
boating safety. In fact, NASBLA testified that this grant money is so 
critical that many States would eliminate their entire boating safety 
programs if Federal funding were cut.
  This legislation will ensure stable funding for these vital State 
programs by dedicating a portion of the fuels taxes paid by 
recreational boaters for State boating safety programs. These programs 
help prevent boating accidents, reduce injuries, and save lives. 
Spending tens of millions of dollars on accident prevention is 
assuredly more cost-effective than spending hundreds of millions on 
search and rescue. I urge all Members to support this bill and 
continued Federal support for State boating safety programs.

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