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   (Mr. KELLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

   Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Recreational Marine Employment Act, which I recently introduced with broad bipartisan support.

   The purpose of this legislation is to create thousands of jobs in the recreational marine industry by ensuring that marinas, boat builders, and recreational boaters will not have to pay the unnecessary and exorbitant insurance premiums under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act.

   Individuals who work in the recreational marine industry are already covered under State worker's compensation laws, and Congress never intended that these jobs also be covered under the longshore act, which is supposed to apply to commercial ships,

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   A recent survey indicated that employers in the recreational marine industry would save an average of $99,000 a year if this legislation passes, and 95 percent of those employers said they would use the money to create additional jobs. I urge my colleagues to call my office today to sign on as a cosponsor of H.R. 4811.

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