[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 103 (Monday, June 25, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H7052-H7053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


IN SUPPORT OF H. RES. 505, RECOGNIZING THE INNUMERABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF 
  THE RECREATIONAL BOATING COMMUNITY AND THE BOATING INDUSTRY TO THE 
        CONTINUING PROSPERITY AND AFFLUENCE OF THE UNITED STATES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to commend the 
distinguished chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure (Mr. Oberstar) for his support of House Resolution 505 
and for his leadership on the committee. These days we face mounting 
challenges to improve our infrastructure and protect our highways and 
waterways from expanding populations and from terrorist attacks. 
Personally, I can think of no other person better qualified to lead 
this important committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 505 to 
highlight the important contribution of the recreational boating 
community and the boating industry to our quality of life and to our 
continued economic prosperity and to urge the President to issue a 
proclamation calling upon the American people to observe National 
Boating Day.
  Boating is a famous symbol for south Florida, where I am from. 
Millions of residents and tourists take to the waters of south Florida 
by boat to fish, dive, snorkel, and view scenic tours along our 
pristine coastline and unique intracoastal waterway. Palm Beach County 
alone has over 40,000 registered boaters, and Ft. Lauderdale's majestic 
canals have earned it the nickname the ``Venice of America.''
  But the significance of the boating community is not only symbolic. 
The recreational marine industry is a major economic force in Florida, 
responsible for over $18 billion of revenues and 220,000 jobs 
statewide. And I should note that $13 billion of the economic impact 
and 162,000 of those jobs as well as almost half of the industry's 
gross sales come from the tri-county region of Miami-Dade, Broward, and 
Palm Beach Counties.
  As many of our colleagues know, the contributions of the recreational 
boating community extend far beyond the Sunshine State. The boating 
population exceeds 73 million individuals in our country and an 
estimated 18 million recreational watercraft. In addition, the 
recreational boating industry provides more than $39 billion in sales 
and services to the U.S. economy and provides nearly 380,000 
manufacturing jobs. Altogether there are approximately 1,400 active 
boat builders in the United States with contributions from all 50 
States.
  One need only look at the geographic diversity among members of our 
Congressional Boating Caucus, of which I am a proud member, to measure 
the broad influence and contributions of the boating community and the 
boating industry to our country and the quality of our life. Members 
come from 38 States, including Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Kansas, and West 
Virginia. Clearly, boating is not just a coastal pastime; it is an 
American pastime.
  In addition, boating also brings us closer to our national treasures. 
I strongly believe that an appreciation for environmental stewardship 
comes through interacting with nature. For example, it is hard to 
comprehend the beauty of coral reefs until you see them underwater with 
your own eyes.

[[Page H7053]]

Once you do, you begin to understand their importance and the need to 
protect them for the continued health of our oceans.
  Boating gives us these cherished opportunities to commune with 
nature. It should be no surprise that boaters can be impassioned 
stewards of the environment, teaching future generations of boaters a 
healthy respect and appreciation for our natural resources.
  It is for these and other reasons that I introduced House Resolution 
505, recognizing the contributions of the recreational boating 
community and the boating industry to the continuing prosperity and 
affluence of the United States. This resolution calls upon President 
Bush to issue a proclamation to observe National Boating Day with an 
appropriate time being July 1.
  I was happy to have so many of our colleagues from the Boating Caucus 
join me in supporting this resolution, including the distinguished co-
chairs of the caucus, the Honorable Gene Taylor from Mississippi and 
the Honorable Candice Miller from Michigan. I am sure that they can 
attest that boating is an integral part of our economy and our quality 
of life not just for those along the coast but for the entire country.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud my colleagues for adopting this resolution 
today and recognizing the contributions of recreational boating and the 
boating industry.

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