Where Do the Marine Industry’s Priorities Stand Today? How Midterm Results May Shape Outcomes
By Mike Sayre, MRAA Director of Government Relations
With the 2026 midterms just a few weeks away, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) Government Relations team is here to give you an update on the boating industry’s priorities in Congress and how the outcome in November may impact several vital pieces of legislation. There are two high-priority bills for our industry in Congress today.
Why the Boating Trust Fund Matters to Dealers
The first is a bill to reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund. The Trust Fund is a vital source of support for recreational boating and fishing across the country funded through gas tax revenue generated by boaters, an excise tax of fishing equipment, and a handful of other sources. The Trust Fund provides critical funding for boating safety programs nationally, as well as grants to improve boating and fishing infrastructure while also supporting conservation work to ensure access to healthy fisheries for anglers.
The Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund reauthorization bill has been attached to the much larger highway bill. That’s largely a result of the Trust Fund’s gas tax component and is on the same every 5-year reauthorization schedule. As a result, the Trust Fund has been extended into December alongside the rest of the highway bill’s many programs. Given the size and complexity of the highway bill, and how it shapes policy for years to come, it seems unlikely that the current 119th Congress will be able to put enough work into passing it during the post-election lame duck period. It’s more likely they will kick the can into the 120th Congress and start the process anew.
Passing the Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund reauthorization by the end of the year would be a victory for the industry. However, reintroducing the bill in the next Congress gives the industry an opportunity to preserve funding into 2027 and also review the current language and make improvements before reintroduction.
Boating Infrastructure Priorities in WRDA
The next vital piece of legislation is the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) which is on a two-year reauthorization schedule. It sets priorities for the Army Corps of Engineers in their work overseeing and improving critical marine infrastructure. Currently, a version of WRDA has been introduced in both the House and Senate but there are key differences between the versions. More of the industry’s priorities being included in the Senate version. These include allowing the Army Corps to retain recreation fees — something all other federal land agencies are able to do in order to support recreational infrastructure. Additionally, the Senate version contains provisions that would require the Army Corps to ensure their recreational databases with all other federal agencies and extending the lease terms for marinas on Army Corps-owned lakes, facilitating greater investment in those facilities.
Two More Bills to Watch
Lastly, our industry supports two additional bills would back recreational boating and fishing.
- The Boat Loan Interest Deduction Act, introduced by Reps. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) and Don Davis (D-NC), would allow taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 annually in interest paid on qualified recreational watercraft loans through 2028. The bill is based on similar provisions for auto loans in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill and extends the same incentives to boat buyers.
- The Aquatic Invasive Species Control and Prevention Act, introduced by Reps. Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), would greatly enhance efforts to address aquatic invasive species by modernizing federal policy and supporting state-led management.
If both bills don’t make it to the President’s desk after the election, they will need to be reintroduced in 2027.
Why State Elections May Affect Dealers Sooner
Those are the stakes in Congress. State level elections can also have an impact on recreational boating. New governors and flipped state legislatures can have profound impacts on boating with renewed focus on wake surfing access, legislation overseeing the dealer and manufacturer relationship and more. States move faster than Congress. The impact of these midterms will be felt much sooner in your state than from the federal government.
The Balance of Power in Congress
With all of that in mind, here is a look at the state of the midterms three weeks out (as of Oct. 12, 2026).
- In the Senate, Republicans hold a 53 – 47 seat majority over the Democrats. With at least seven seats being considered toss-ups, Democratic control is a very real possibility. If Republicans retain control, either outcome could result in an even slimmer majority for either party making a few Senators who might buck their party line even more important to get any legislation to a bare majority vote.
- In the House, things appear to be more dire for Republicans. Polling shows the current Republican 219-seat majority over the Democratic 214-minority more likely to flip than the Senate. In the House, 22 races are considered toss-ups.
A lot can happen in three weeks but looking back at historical precedent, only two times in American history since 1938 have the president’s party gained seats in the midterms. First, in 1998 after a failed impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Then, in 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11attacks, the year prior.
Governors and State Legislatures on the Ballot
At the state level, there will be 36 gubernatorial elections this year. Of those 36 offices up for election, they are evenly split between Democrats and Republicans with each holding 18. Currently, Republicans hold 26 governor’s seats to Democrat’s 24.
Forty-six state legislatures will hold elections. Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia hold state elections on odd-numbered years. Those 46 states holding elections will choose 6,139 state legislators. Currently, 28 states have Republican-controlled legislatures to the Democrat’s 17. Four states having party control split between two chambers.
Make the Marine Industry’s Voice Count
As we like to say in the world of advocacy; if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. One way to help ensure you’re at the table is to take the most basic and yet most important step in our democracy and vote on Tuesday, Nov. 3. You can also tell your members of Congress to support these bills in the MRAA’s Action Center. MRAA will return in November with our postelection analysis of the results of the 2026 midterms.
About the Author
Mike Sayre, MRAA Director of Government Relations, leads advocacy efforts on policy issues affecting marine retailers and the recreational boating industry. Before joining MRAA, Sayre spent seven years with the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), where his work included government relations and grassroots advocacy on recreation and infrastructure issues. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from Michigan State University. Outside work, he enjoys spending time with his family and dog, gardening and motorcycling.
