The following link goes to a very brief section of H.R. 4348, the “Highway Bill” that re-authorizes the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund through 2014. As you will read no other changes were made to this important fund, which was the unified position of the Anglers and Boaters Coalition, which the Marine Retailers […]

The letter, pertaining to the Affordable Care Act and available at the link below, is written by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and was issued to the 50 state governors. It was issued after the Supreme Court’s 5-to-4 ruling that the new law is constitutional. A key thing to remember about this law […]

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has joined the coalition behind SmarterFuelFuture.org to voice concern about the many negative effects of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and other biofuel policies. Other members of this coalition include BoatUS and the National Marine Manufacturers Association. The coalition’s educational website is intended to raise awareness about the […]

At a July 12 hearing of the House Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, and Regulations of the Small Business Committee, Congress looked into problems with the newly written regulation on the Longshore issue and problems with interstate transportation of boats that is addressed by the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act (H.R. 1439). LONGSHORE — The Department […]

Twenty years ago, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas supported a sales tax on catalog sales in an effort to level the playing field for main street small businesses. Now, Internet sales are under a similar type of scrutiny. Currently, companies without a physical presence in a state where the consumer lives don’t have […]

In an effort to keep boating and fishing along the southern border of the United States safe, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is supporting H.R. 1505, the National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act, which has passed the House and is now being considered in the Senate. Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) offered an […]

In early May, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ended its four year study of a potential lifejacket wear requirement for adults on all its lakes. The study looked into the feasibility of establishing a mandatory life jacket policy on Corps-managed waters. According to the policy study, wear rates at the test lakes significantly increased […]