[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 112 (Friday, July 25, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN SAFETY ACT OF 2003

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                            HON. ROB SIMMONS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 25, 2003

  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, since colonial days, Stonington Borough 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 require 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 2003,'' 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 2003 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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