U.S. Congress Near-Unanimously Approve PPP Changes for Small Businesses


Last night, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation that would give Paycheck Protection Program borrowers more freedom in how to use funds and still have loans forgiven. The same legislation, dubbed the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act, was passed in a near-unanimous vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The legislation introduced by Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Chip Roy (R-TX) makes changes to PPP that include:

  • Extending the period to use loans to 24 weeks, up from eight weeks;
  • Give borrowers more flexibility with their funds, allowing businesses to use 60% rather than 75% of loan proceeds on payroll costs and still be eligible for loan forgiveness;
  • Allows borrowers to receive loan forgiveness and defer payroll taxes, which was not previously allowed;
  • Provides exemptions for businesses to claim if they cannot rehire and individual due to business contraction, decline in business activity, or inability to hire a similarly qualified individual.

The bill faced an uphill battle in the Senate, with initial attempts to block the bill due to concerns about disincentivizing bringing back employees. Ultimately though, the bill received endorsements from key Senate republicans like Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Marco Rubio who is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The Senate tried to pass their own version of the bill by unanimous consent before Memorial Day weekend, but were unable to get the 100 Senators to sign off on the legislation in one day.

Senator McConnell threw his support behind the bill in a speech on the Senate floor this week saying “I hope and anticipate the Senate will soon take up and pass legislation that just passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 417-1 to further strengthen the Paycheck Protection Program so it continues working for small businesses that need our help.”

The same day Senator Rubio released a statement cautiously supporting the bill saying that “it’s better than not doing anything” but stipulating that a key factor will be how the Treasury department interprets the legislation. “if you don’t spend 60% of your money on payroll, if you only spend 59.9%, you will get zero forgiveness.”

This is not the first time the Congress and the Treasury have disagreed on PPP implementation. In an interview with The Hill on May 21, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that he supported an extension of the program beyond eight weeks, but opposed reducing the requirement that borrowers use 75% of loan funds to cover payroll costs. “Let me just remind people — it’s called the Paycheck Protection Program. It’s not called the Overhead Protection Program,” Mnuchin said. “We believe that the 75% was exactly consistent with the way the program was designed.”

The bill will now go to President Trump’s desk for signature.

Commentary: Instead of reacting to the next disaster, let’s prepare for it

MRAA government relations manager Adam Fortier-Brown recently wrote an op-ed published in the Portland Press Herald on the importance of pre-disaster funding for small businesses, and the Great American Outdoors Act.

 

"This pandemic is one without modern precedent, but one we still could have better prepared for. ... Historically, the U.S. has not emphasized preparing for the next global health threat or natural disaster as much as it has responding to the damage they cause."

Read the full commentary here.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross Moving to Save South Atlantic Red Snapper Fishery

On Friday, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross met with recreational fishing and boating industry leaders at Maverick Boat Group, Inc. in Fort Pierce, Fla., to discuss marine recreational fishing access and the importance of marine recreation to the U.S. economy. Following a tour of the manufacturing facility, Secretary Ross indicated good news is ahead for South Atlantic red snapper and that his office is finalizing the rule requiring descending devices onboard vessels targeting snapper and grouper in the South Atlantic.

During the visit, Secretary Ross spoke with the group about challenges facing the marine industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic and actions the Administration could take to promote recreational access and spur economic growth. Congressman Brian Mast (R-FL-18) also participated in the roundtable with representatives from the across the industry supply chain. According to NOAA Fisheries, our nation’s 9.8 million saltwater anglers support 472,000 jobs and annually contribute $67.9 billion in economic generation.

As the economy is reopening, industry executives are focused on keeping their employees safe while providing exceptional customer service to Americans who want to enjoy the great outdoors. Outdoor recreation accounts for 2.2 percent of U.S. GDP with recreational fishing and boating topping the list as the largest contributors to that output.

Anglers have been frustrated in recent years by the ever-decreasing South Atlantic red snapper season as they encounter more and more fish on the water. One problem has been the rate at which these fish die after they are released due to the effects of barotrauma, a condition that results from increased pressure of internal gasses as deep-water fish are brought rapidly to the surface. NOAA Fisheries counts the high number of estimated dead discards against harvestable quota each year resulting in shortened seasons, with Indications earlier this year from the body pointing to a three-day 2020 season.

The recreational fishing and boating community have long advocated for the use of descending devices to reduce the mortality rate of prized reef fish such as snapper and grouper. A descending device is a weighted hook, lip clamp, or box that will hold the fish while it is lowered to a sufficient depth to recover from the effects of barotrauma and release the fish. On April 27, a coalition of recreational fishing and boating organizations supported the descending device rule in a public comment letter.

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council are to be commended for their leadership on the descending device requirement. Long before the Council approved Amendment 29 for secretarial review, the Council actively promoted best fishing practices when catching and releasing fish. Furthermore, CSP partners the American Sportfishing Association and Coastal Conservation Association led by example educating the angling public through their programs FishSmart Conservation Project and ReleaSense, respectively. NMMA worked tirelessly with our partners to support this important measure. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also has a series of videos on its YouTube channel (FWC Saltwater Fishing) demonstrating how to use descending devices to treat barotrauma. Various descending devices have been manufactured for years and are available for retail sale. Thanks to the aforementioned educational efforts, thousands of anglers and guides already have been provided with descending devices at no charge.

The recreational fishing community stands ready to work with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, NOAA Fisheries, and anglers in the implementation of the descending device requirement.

Kicker Joins Reef Runner Boats in Sharing Joy with Battle Breast Cancer Winner

MIAMI – Just before the Coronavirus changed all of our lives, Omar Fakhri and his son Laithe drove to South Florida from their home outside Dallas, Texas, to pick up the 230 Reef Runner center console that they won in the Battle Breast Cancer Giveaway at February’s Miami International Boat Show. It couldn’t have been a better Spring Break and birthday gift for Laithe, who just turned 12, and his father, who with the Reef Runner Boat, is beginning his “fleet,” adding to his current 26’ center console fishing boat.

Fakhri learned of the Reef Runner campaign, its third annual boat giveaway campaign to fight breast cancer, through an online forum where he has been active for 10 years. Like most who have had a family or social circle brush with breast cancer, Fakhri was eager to support a good cause, but never dreamed of actually winning the boat. His wife even told him, “No one wins a fishing boat!” So when Reef Runner’s owner, Donna Milo, called Fakhri on February 17 and told him he won, he was in an airport, traveling internationally and laughed, “Yeah, right, I know you’re screwing with me!” It took a moment for reality to set in, as the group of sponsors and fans at the Miami Boat Show had gathered at the Reef Runner booth and were listening eagerly to the speaker-broadcasted phone call.
 
At delivery a few weeks later, grins were broad and spirits were high as the father and son team joined with Patrick Farris, VP and Donna Milo, owner of Reef Runner Boats for a sea trial and the twin 230 center consoles hit Biscayne Bay. Fakhri connected his phone by Bluetooth to the KICKER Marine Audiosystem, tuning in his son’s favorite Sirius Radio channels.
 
The donated KICKER system, valued at just under $5,000, included bow and T-top mounted speakers, lighted coaxial covers, a subwoofer, amplifier, source unit and remote and was installed by Reef Runner as a weather proof system to all KICKER certified and marine compliant standards.
 
“KICKER did a great job on this system!” said Fakhri, “It was easy to connect, and we cranked it up—WOW! It was really loud!” They adjusted it a bit to enjoy their favorite tunes and the duo set out with a mild chop and wind on Biscayne Bay.

Laithe named the boat “Trident” as a nod to Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea’s spear, since he saw the 23’ Reef Runner piercing the sea. He and his father were setting out to get the feel of the boat–and its sound system—while heading to a local beach to go for a swim, explore the area for the afternoon and plan the rest of their trip before heading back to Texas. The experience provided some family bonding–a real plus to a perfect South Florida boating day! Fakhri intends to use the Reef Runner as the family’s “reef” boat for shallow red and snapper fishing.
 
“This hull holds really well—she’ll lean in the turns but holds!” said Fakhri. Milo explained that Reef Runner’s keel strake enables that handling—“She loves the waves and just wants to jump over them! There’s no pounding,” Milo added.  
 
The Battle Breast Cancer boat giveaway enjoyed sponsorships not just from KICKER Marine Audio, but also from Evinrude, Edson, TACO Marine, Ocean Tamer, SeaDek by Castaway Customs and Center Consoles Only, but KICKER was pleased to add to the prize package, plans to continue its support, and as a result, became Reef Runner’s sound system of choice for its boats. “We love the system!” says Milo, “It was easy to install and the quality and sound is impeccable!”
 
“We are pleased to support the effort of Reef Runner Boat as so many of us have had our lives touched by cancer. We see this as a great opportunity to add our expertise and products to this effort—boats built for a great cause!” says Jeremy Bale, KICKER Marine Audio’s National Brand Manager for Lifestyle and Marine Products. “KICKER Marine Audio delivers a trustworthy experience,” he adds, “We deliver total confidence in our product as proven in over 40 years of manufacturing.

Vantage Resource Group launches “Certified Clean” program

Vantage Resource Group recently introduced its Vantage Certified Clean program. Vantage outlined the program as follows:

EFFECTIVE – EPA Certified Peroxy HDOX is surface Disinfectant. According to the EPA and CDC, PEROXY HDOX has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to COVID-19.

EFFICIENT – Application using the Patented Tornador® Tool enables your dealership to Sanitize a Boat Interior In Just A Few Minutes (see demo video). This tool will also revolutionize how efficiently you clean a boat / RV interior.

TURN-KEY – Vantage Certified Clean™ Starter Kit includes everything needed to disinfect between 100-200 boats for .22 CENTS -.44 CENTS PER BOAT!

IMPACTFUL – Starter Kit Includes initial marketing materials to show your customers that your dealership is offering this service.
 
The Vantage Certified Clean Start-Up Kit and re-order options are available on the Vantage Dealer Portal.
 
If you have any addition questions about this new program, dealers can contact Ross Solwold, Vantage Resource Group President, at 877-477-3456.

South Florida Digital Agency to host SEO webinar featuring MRAA expert

FORT MYERS, Fla., June 2, 2020 – Harry Casimir, CEO of ATILUS and Boat Marketing Pros will host a webinar titled “COVID-19 Recovery: SEO Tactics For Your Marine Industry Business,” which will be about digital marketing tactics to focus on during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and feature Bob McCann, MRAA's Lead Certification Consultant.

Boat dealerships and businesses in the marine industry have an advantage during the Covid-19 pandemic because boating is considered a safe activity and is often permitted by local government officials. Because of this, Casimir believes that boat dealerships, boat clubs and other businesses in the marine industry have a unique opportunity to focus on their digital efforts.

“Boating, especially where I live in Fort Myers, has been going on during the entire Covid-19 pandemic. I think many boat dealerships, boat clubs and other services can shift their online focus to not only survive the pandemic but also thrive,” says Casimir. “My main goal with this webinar is to educate boating companies all over the country about what they can do online to thrive during and after Covid-19.”

Topics that will be covered during the webinar include ranking for keywords on Google, capitalizing on a Google my Business/Maps presence, other tactics on how to show up in search engines in your target demographic, among others.

The webinar is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 4 at 2:00 pm EST. Casimir will be joined by Bob McCann, Lead Certification Consultant for the Marine Retailers Association of America. To register, please visit https://mraawebinar.atilus.com/.  

About ATILUS and Boat Marketing Pros

ATILUS is a digital agency that was founded in 2005. The company focused on web design and digital marketing for companies in an array of industries, including real estate, information technology, and others. Boat Marketing Pros, the sister company of ATILUS, is a digital agency focused on boat dealerships, boat clubs, and businesses in the marine industry. www.atilus.com & www.boatmarketingpros.com

About Marine Retailers Associations of Americas

 

At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

###

Contact: Harry Casimir
Phone: (239) 362-1271
Email: info@boatmarketingpros.com

 

 

 

Sea Tow Foundation Appoints Adam Fortier-Brown to Serve on Sober Skipper Advisory Council

May 28, 2020 – The Sea Tow Foundation has appointed Adam Fortier-Brown, Government Relations Manager of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas as one of seven new marine industry stakeholders to serve a two-year term on its North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council which was established in 2019.

In this capacity, Fortier-Brown joins a combined slate of 19 council members charged to collaborate on and develop a variety of strategies and tactics to promote greater awareness and adoption of boating safety initiatives and messages both within the recreational marine industry and boating consumer space.

“We welcome Adam to our advisory council and appreciate the unique perspective and depth of experience he brings to the council,” said Sea Tow Foundation Executive Director Gail R. Kulp. “We were very impressed by the quality of the nominations and the resulting expanded council representation that embraces new segments of the marine industry.”

“Adam’s experience working closely with boating customers through his family’s dealership, as well as his knowledge and understanding of boating safety laws makes him a great addition to this council,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “We’re thrilled to have MRAA represent the needs and desires that boat dealers have for keeping their customers safe on the water.”

Boating under the influence is the leading known factor contributing to fatal boating accidents, with an average of one boating accident per day due to alcohol use on the water. In 2018, alcohol and drug use accounted for 107 boating related deaths – all of which were preventable.

New inductees were voted in by the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council with new terms beginning June 1, 2020. In addition to Fortier-Brown, new appointees are listed below in alphabetical order:

·      TK Krumenacker, CEO, Admirals Insurance Corp

·      Tyler Mehrl, Category Manager/Steering and Controls, Mercury Marine

·      Mark Pillsbury, Editor, Cruising World Magazine

·      Angie Scott, Podcast Host, The Woman Angler & Adventurer

·      Eric Shepard, Retired (30 years in the marine and aviation safety industry)

·      Leslie Zlotnick, Advertising Manager, Yamaha Watercraft Group

About the Sea Tow Foundation North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council

Launched in 2019, the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council now includes 19 members representing multiple sectors of the recreational boating industry along with an executive task force. In its first year, the council organized and debuted its first National Boating Industry Safety Awards to recognize the outstanding work of recreational boating organizations in promoting boating safety. The council is actively engaged in supporting a variety of safe boating initiatives including the Sober Skipper Program which encourages boaters to be or to designate a Sober Skipper before leaving the dock. The ultimate goal of the Sober Skipper Program is to eliminate the number of boating accidents and deaths related to Boating Under the Influence on North American waterways.

For more information about the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council, please visit: www.boatingsafety.com/nassac

To learn more about the Sea Tow Foundation’s Sober Skipper Program, please visit soberskipper.com.

About Sea Tow Foundation

With a focus on safe boating practices that result in fun on the water, the Sea Tow Foundation – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – was established in 2007 by Sea Tow Founder Capt. Joe Frohnhoefer. After his passing in 2015, Captain Joe’s legacy continues as the Foundation brings attention to the number of preventable boating-related accidents, injuries, and deaths, and directly addresses prevention methods through education and awareness. More than 650 life jacket loaner stations are now available across the United States and the Foundation’s Sober Skipper Program continues to grow. For more information on the Sea Tow Foundation, please visit BoatingSafety.com.

Keep Records of Employees’ Coronavirus Illnesses

Many of the legal experts that have been providing businesses with advice throughout the COVID health crisis have recommended the creation of systems and processes to track efforts to keep employees and customers safe.

Now, under newly revised policies issued by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), its Compliance Safety and Health Officers will begin stepping up in-person inspections of all types of workplaces and enforcement of the COVID-related record-keeping mandates for businesses, particularly those that employ more than 10 people, as detailed in 29 CFR 1904. “In all events, it is important as a matter of worker health and safety, as well as public health, for an employer to examine COVID-19 cases among workers and respond appropriately to protect workers, regardless of whether a case is ultimately determined to be work-related,” wrote Lee Anne Jillings and Patrick J. Kapust, acting directors, in an OSHA Memorandum on May 19, 2020. 

The mandates they will now be enforcing require employers to conduct a “reasonable and good faith inquiry” into cases of coronavirus among their employees to determine whether they may be work-related, and if they are determined to be work-related, to record those cases using OSHA Form 300.

This is one of several regulations related to COVID-19 that U.S. marine dealers should be aware of and ensure they are in compliance with. MRAA addressed some of these legal and regulatory considerations as part of its April 15th Ask the Expert Webinar, titled Legal Insights to COVID-19 Solutions.

Given the changes that have taken place since then, MRAA will once again feature expertise from MRAA partner Bellavia Blatt PC to help dealers navigate these legal and regulatory issues in an upcoming June webinar, date and time to be announced shortly.

 

Is Your Dealership Operating Safely?

Here we are on the cusp of summer. With Memorial Day weekend in the U.S. and Victoria Day in Canada unofficially kicking off the season, this is typically a busy time of year for dealers.

 

We hope this is a busy, revenue-generating time for you as well.

 

But we also know this year is different. The government is asking us to practice social distancing. Consumers are excited to get out on the water, but many are hesitant to interact closely with you and your staff. Your staff is happy to be back at work, but some are reluctant to come back if certain precautions aren’t made.

 

So what are you doing to stay safe while people across North America are still being infected with COVID-19?

 

There are a lot of things to think about from customer interactions to washing surfaces and from marina safety to demo rides and sea trials.

 

I recently spent a great deal of time with MTAs throughout North America, discussing what it is that dealers, marina operators and boatyard owners need to know about running their operations during the pandemic.

 

What we developed is a 58-page manual, the Guide to Operating Your Boat Business Safely.

 

Don’t worry, you don’t have to read the full 58 pages of the guide. We know you’re busy. Find the articles that are pertinent to you. We have a section on Your Business, another on Your Customers and a third on Your Employees. Plus, 17 pages of the publication are downloads for you to use. Those downloads range from printable guides for your staff, to posters for your customers, to customizable Excel documents that will help you run your business safely.

 

We combed through what the CDC, Health Canada, W.H.O., OSHA and others have been reporting and assessed how their recommendations affect dealerships, marinas and boatyards, and translated that, so you don’t have to.

 

We hope you find some great resources in this guide! And if you need any additional, resources or information, let us at the MRAA or those at your local MTA know. We’re glad to help!

U.S. House of Representatives Passes Relief Package Messaging Bill

WASHINGTON, DC — On the evening of May 15, the U.S. House of Representatives passed their $3 trillion coronavirus relief package, the HEROES Act, mostly along party lines with 14 Democratic defections and a handful of Republicans backing the legislation. The Republican controlled Senate is not expected to consider the measure. 

 

This messaging bill wasn’t drafted with any other expectation. 

 

Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats used this package to create a starting point for negotiations on future stimulus packages in DC, while pointing to this bill as evidence that their party is fighting for American businesses and workers. House and Senate Republicans, joined by some moderate Democrats, did not support this package, preferring to wait to see the effect of the CARES Act and make improvements on their previous stimulus packages. 

 

What does this mean for the recreational boating industry?

 

The HEROES Act included funding for some programs that would affect our industry, including:

  • $1 trillion for state and local governments;
  • A second round of stimulus payments to Americas of $1,200 per family member up to $6,000;
  • Enhancing the employee retention tax credit passed in the CARES Act;
  • Modifications to the Paycheck Protection Program to make 501 C (6) nonprofit trade associations eligible for aid;
  • Extension of $600 federal unemployment payments through January 2021. 

 

Our industry is continuing our engagement in Washington DC to support items that would benefit recreational businesses across the country. For more information, please contact MRAA government relations manager, Adam Fortier-Brown at adam@mraa.com.