WASHINGTON, D.C. – When John Irwin of Irwin Marine, Laconia, N.H., joined his fellow MRAA members at the 2012 American Boating Congress in April, he developed a plan to make the most of his time with legislators on Capitol Hill. Irwin reviewed the issue briefs provided by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, called his state association’s lobbyist to find out which issues were most critical to the health of local and state-wide marine businesses and then picked four issues to focus on.

One of those four was the Federal Sport Fish and Boating Trust Fund, a talking point that nearly every ABC participant addressed with their respective members of Congress. As of last spring, there were no state-owned boat ramps or docks on Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire’s largest lake. The majority of open public access to the lake was reliant on privately owned marinas and boat yards that service the lake. But thanks in part to the conversations that Irwin has had, that has now changed (to the delight of the public and marina owners alike).

Since Irwin’s meeting with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Rep. Frank Guinta and Rep. Charles Bass during ABC, the N.H. Fish and Game Department has purchased a private marina known as Downing’s Landing at the southern tip of Alton Bay, according to an article in the Nashua Telegraph published on Nov. 27th. This purchase will vastly improve water access, which benefits the area’s marine businesses as well as tourism in Central New Hampshire.

“A lion’s share of the funds for this project came from the Federal Sport Fish and Boating Trust Fund that we were lobbying for when MRAA was in Washington in the spring,” says Irwin. “It’s very exciting to know that my efforts in personally meeting with our two U.S. senators and two Congressmen made a difference here in New Hampshire.”

In 2012, MRAA co-sponsored ABC for the first time and held a strategic planning session for its Board of Directors and Young Leaders Advisory Council in Washington, D.C., immediately prior to the event.

MRAA plans to expand its involvement in the 2013 American Boating Congress, which will take place May 8-9 at The Liaison Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Educational sessions designed to appeal to marine retailers, including a session on how to maximize the opportunity represented by the event’s hill visits, will take place on the morning of May 9^th, before Irwin and other MRAA members go back to The Hill to remind members of Congress how important boating is to their constituents.

“I think it’s easy to feel like you can’t make a real difference on federal and even state issues, and so some dealers might not make an event like ABC a priority,” says Irwin. “But this demonstrates that each of us CAN make a difference. In fact, I’d go a step further and say that if we as dealers are serious about the future success of our businesses, we NEED to come together with the industry and make our voice heard, and ABC is the perfect place to do that.”

About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

Celebrating its 40^th anniversary in 2012, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is the only North American association dedicated to furthering the interests of boat and engine dealers and other marine-related retailers throughout North America. Under the umbrella of MRAA Rewards, the MRAA offers a host of cost-saving, revenue-generating, business-improvement, and professional-development benefits exclusively for its members. MRAA is the united voice of marine retailers. For more information, visit

The boating industry, including boat manufacturers, dealers, marina operators, and boat yards, has been voicing strong concerns in Washington for the past couple of years that ethanol blends in gasoline used in recreational boating have caused considerable damage to engines and fuel systems. The damage is significant in that it can severely impact boating safety when families are left stranded on the water due to breakdowns.  

Other groups in DC have also joined the struggle, including small power equipment manufacturers, restaurants, fuel manufacturers, trucking companies, and farm animal associations. A newly formed coalition, called the Smarter Fuel Future Coalition, has brought these groups together. Visit their Web site at www.smarterfuelfuture.org for more information and to join.

At a coalition meeting on Dec. 10, the members agreed on a tentative action plan to begin in 2013 that will culminate in the introduction of bills in the House and Senate and Congressional hearings. The coalition wants to continue to build membership to support its outreach plans with the press, but the real action will come with advocacy events in D.C. beginning as early as the first quarter with Hill issue briefings in the House and Senate where the problems of ethanol blends will be presented to staff and members. 

Plans also include working with key Congressional committees to schedule hearings to document the effects of ethanol on key segments of the economy. All the action plans will be focused on support for the introduction and movement of bills on ethanol reform. It is anticipated that several members will introduce bills, but the key ones will totally repeal ethanol blends in gasoline and limit ethanol production to current levels of E10.           

The next coalition meeting will be held in January to further plan for the Hill Issue Briefing. Ethanol reform is one of MRAA’s highest legislative priorities for 2013. 

Meetings in the Senate on repeal of the estate tax contained in the Bush-era tax cut legislation confirm there is strong support for continuing current estate tax policy of a $5 million exemption and a 35-percent tax rate. Senators Baucus (D-Montana), Landrieu (D-Louisiana), Tester (D-Montana), Pryor (D-Arkansas), and McCaskill (D-Missouri have said they would continue to support current policy.            

Many Republicans already support retention of current estate tax policy so these Democrats are important to ensure passage. However, the key will be if language to continue current estate tax policy will be included in the Fiscal Cliff bill when it comes up for a floor vote.

The Advisory Council of Marine Associations (ACMA) met at the Marine Dealer Conference and Expo (MDCE) on Nov. 10 to review 2012 federal and state legislative activities and to project potential legislative action in 2013.           

During the meeting, ACMA members discussed ethanol, federal red tape and over regulation, problems with a lack of funds for dredging of small boat harbors and channels, the Sport Fish and Boating Account, working waterfronts, and efforts to mandate adult lifejacket wear. It is expected these issues will continue in 2013.           

Concern was also expressed about the fiscal cliff. MRAA was asked to watch the negotiations closely and to support a balanced approach with spending cuts and small increase in taxes, but also to support retention of the second home mortgage interest deduction and current estate tax policy.           

Every participant in the meeting then discussed specific state issues, including efforts to ban copper boat bottom paint, worker’s compensation and longshoreman’s insurance, success of Clean Marina programs, universal titling bills, Asian carp encroachment in the Mid-west, excessive boat boardings by the Coast Guard, and the collection of non-toxic anti-freeze.           

During the meeting, Jon Kukuk of Wisconsin was re-elected to chair ACMA in 2013. Interest was expressed to meet again at the American Boating Congress in early May. 

The Advisory Council of Marine Associations consists of regional and state marine trade association staff, who together advise the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas on lobbying and legislative efforts. This group meets on an ongoing basis, contributing to MRAA’s agenda regarding efforts to undertake in support of its members. 

MRAA continues to closely follow negotiations regarding the Fiscal Cliff. The Fiscal Cliff is defined as the combination of a 10-percent across the board cut of government spending and the expiration of the Bush era tax cuts. MRAA has lobbied in favor of balanced equitable solution and retention of the second home mortgage interest deduction, the state sales tax deduction option, and the repeal of the estate tax.           

Negotiations are being conducted in secret with few even on the Hill knowing the details. However, MRAA remains optimistic that a resolution will be reached in the next couple of weeks. All fingers point to progress with key staff on the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee working on narrow bills that can come to the floor for votes. Despite the public posturing by members of both political parties, the fact that very little has leaked out about the private conversations between the president and Speaker Boehner is a clear signal in DC that there may real movement behind the scenes.           

What can we expect in the final deal? Based on speculation, it looks like individual tax rates for high incomes couple will rise. In addition, anticipate a limitation of deductions, such as mortgage interest deductions and charitable giving, for adjusted gross incomes above $300,000 (up from the published $250,000). Recently, the White House has put an overhaul of the corporate tax code on the table, such as new taxes on certain current tax-free bonds. Expect a tax reform bill in 2013 as part of the deal.           

At a meeting on the Hill yesterday, staff said they are writing legislation to cut government spending and raise taxes in a two phase process. Phase one will include cuts and tax increases set to begin on December 31 and phase two will be cuts and tax increases that committees will look into during 2013. Cuts in government spending may not reach the mandated 10 percent contained in the sequestration bill, but some of the cuts will be major, especially in entitlements, such as raising the age to qualify for Medicare to the retirement age, $400 billion cuts in Health Care, requiring doctors to electronically file Medicare/Medicaid claims to streamline the process., etc.

The grand bargain between Congress and Obama faces a challenge of passage in the House, but most believe a new attitude of House freshmen has freed the Speaker to negotiate a compromise that would have been impossible last year.