The anti-ethanol DC coalition, Smarter Fuel Future, which MRAA is a member, generated over 10,000 comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in support of its recent proposal to maintain 2013 blend volumes for corn-based ethanol. The marine industry contributed over 1,800 of those comments. During January, the coalition led a campaign that was strongly […]

MRAA supports H.R. 3896, a bill introduced on January 16, 2014 by Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, to amend the Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act to provide a definition of recreational vessel that is a better and clearer application of the Longshore Act to marinas and insurance companies providing service work on recreational boats. There are […]

For the past several years, Congress has faced a year-end deadline to pass the tax extenders bill. It has been one of Congress’s bad habits. But it did not happen this year causing several key pro-business tax deductions like the estate tax and allowing business to deduct the cost of equipment purchases in the year […]

A bipartisan effort to find new revenue to fund roads, bridges, and mass transit may hit recreational boating hard. Historically, transportation has been a bipartisan effort in Congress. So far 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats in the House support a plan that would fund loans for infrastructure improvements from bonds that would be sold to […]

On February 4, 2014 the House Committee on Natural Resources held its first hearing on the re-authorization of the important Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act. This legislation guides federal saltwater fisheries management. A discussion draft of the authorization bill had been distributed to interested groups several weeks before the hearing. MRAA is generally pleased […]