Political Quotes

“I support S. 1349, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to issue a certificate of documentation to the vessel Prince Nova for employment in the coastwise trade of the United States. Mr. Speaker, this is identical to the waiver of the Prince Nova that was included in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996, when it passed the House on October 21, 1997. Unfortunately, the Senate has not acted on that authorization act. The Prince Nova is going to be purchased by the Cross Sound Ferry Service, a family-owned business providing ferry service across the Long Island Sound between Orient Point, Long Island, New York, and New London, Connecticut. This waiver is needed since the Prince Nova was built in Canada. However, in order to upgrade the vessel and meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements, the Cross Sound Ferry Service is going to have to spend over $4.2 million in a U.S. shipyard. Mr. Speaker, ferry services are an integral portion to many of our urban transportation systems. Enactment of S. 1349 will allow the ferry service between New London, Connecticut, and Long Island, New York, to grow and flourish into the next millennium. This bill is supported by the governor of Connecticut, Governor John Roland, and the Connecticut delegation.”