Frank Lautenberg: “I also make a note of the fact that we, too, in New Jersey had two of our citizens perish in that terrible accident that…”

“I also make a note of the fact that we, too, in New Jersey had two of our citizens perish in that terrible accident that took place yesterday, a Mr. John Healy from Middletown, NJ, and Frank Sullivan, from Red Bank, NJ. We send our sympathies to these families, but we are reminded at the same time that ferries play an important role in our region; that while the Staten Island ferry carries about 70,000 passengers a day, we have 60,000 people going from New Jersey to New York for their business requirements or their jobs on the New York waterway ferries. It continues to remind us how much of a need we have to make certain that the ferries operate safely, as well as efficiently. I ask, along with the distinguished Senator from New York who made his remarks a few minutes ago, that the Federal Government do whatever they can to understand what took place, and we understand and know the facts; that we take all the steps we can to make certain it should not happen again. One of the questions I asked in the committee in which I serve, the Commerce Committee, is take a look and see what the Coast Guard requires by way of licensing for captains of these boats. The ferry that had the accident yesterday can carry as many as 6,000 people. We have to make certain in that travel they are not careless.”