[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 93 (Friday, June 29, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION OF THE ``COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN SAFETY ACT OF 2001''

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                            HON. ROB SIMMONS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 28, 2001

  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, since colonial days my home town of 
Stonington has been tied to fishing. Today it is the home to 
Connecticut's only commercial fishing fleet, and I am proud to be its 
congressional representative.
  Commercial fishing continues to rank as one of the most hazardous 
occupations in America. According to the United States Coast Guard and 
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual fatality rate for commercial 
fishermen is about 150 deaths per 100,000 workers.
  In order to increase the level of safety in the fishing industry, the 
U.S. Coast Guard requires all fishing vessels to carry safety 
equipment. Required equipment can include a life raft that 
automatically inflates and floats free should the vessel sink; personal 
flotation devices or immersion suits; Emergency Position Indicating 
Radio Beacons (EPIRB); visual distress signals; and fire extinguishers.
  When an emergency arises, safety equipment is priceless. At all other 
times, the cost of purchasing or maintaining life rafts, immersion 
suits, and EPIRBs must compete with other expenses such as loan 
payments, fuel, wages, maintenance, and insurance. Meeting all of these 
obligations is made more difficult by a regulatory framework that uses 
measures such as trip limits, days at sea, and gear alterations to 
manage our marine resources.
  Commercial fishermen should not have to choose between safety 
equipment and other expenses. That's why I am introducing the 
``Commercial Fishermen Safety Act of 2001,'' which would provide for a 
tax credit equal to 75 percent of the amount paid by fishermen to 
purchase or maintain required safety equipment. The tax credit is 
capped at $1,500 and includes expenses paid or incurred for maintenance 
of safety equipment required by federal regulation. Sens. Susan Collins 
(R-ME) and John Kerry (D-MA) have introduced identical legislation in 
the Senate.
  The Commercial Fishermen Safety Act Of 2001 could improve safety by 
giving commercial fishermen more of an incentive to purchase and care 
for safety equipment. I ask my colleagues to join me in helping 
commercial fishermen protect themselves while doing their jobs.

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