[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 165 (Thursday, November 17, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1514]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE MAINE MARINE TRADES ASSOCIATION'S 50 YEARS OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHELLIE PINGREE

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 17, 2016

  Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to acknowledge 
and honor the important work of the Maine Marine Trades Association. 
For five decades, this organization has educated boat builders and 
marine businesses in best practices, with particular focus on worker 
safety and the preservation of the natural resources upon which the 
industry and the people of Maine depend.
  Under Executive Director Susan Swanton's able leadership, the Maine 
Marine Trades Association has promoted growth and cooperation, 
influencing many aspects of the marine industry through job development 
and successful partnerships with the Maine Departments of Labor, 
Environmental Protection, and Marine Resources, as well as the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and many other state and 
national organizations.
  Originally run completely by volunteers, the Maine Marine Trades 
Association maintains a strong tradition of volunteer participation. 
Such is the norm in my state. People pull together to get things done, 
and Maine's long and rich tradition of boating, fishing, and boat 
building is part of our rich heritage.
  Living on an island 12 miles off the coast of Maine, every ferry trip 
to or from the mainland takes me past pleasure craft, fishermen, 
boatyards, and marinas. And, with my District Congressional Office 
located on Portland Harbor's working waterfront, reminders of the 
economic and cultural impact of this industry surround me.
  I am proud of and grateful for the Maine Marine Trades Association's 
commitment not only to protecting and enhancing a way of life in Maine, 
but to promoting an important, time-honored means of making a living.

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