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 […]

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has called marine retailers to action by asking them to contact the U.S. Environmental Protections Agency in strong support of its recent action to reduce the Congressional mandate on the renewable fuel standard (RFS) for corn-based ethanol, for 2014 to 2013 levels. For the past couple of years, […]

H.R. 3080 and S. 601, the Water Resources Reform and Development Acts have passed the House and Senate and now reside in a conference committee to negotiate the differences between the two bills. The conference committee has met and several Members of Congress expect a final resolution to be made in January. The Corps has […]

MRAA is considering support of H.R. 2795, the Marina Operator Tax Obligation Act introduced by Representative Doug Collins (R-Georgia) on July 23, 2013. The bill has one co-sponsor, Representative Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), and has been referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. No action has yet been scheduled by the Subcommittee. The bill […]

Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) introduced H.R. 3636, the Update, Promote and Develop America’s Transportation Essential Act on December 3, 2013. The committee, commonly referred to as the Committee of Ways and Means, has no cosponsors. The bill would increase the federal excise tax on gasoline to 33.3 cents per gallon after 2015, and before 2025 […]

Calling for a multi-layered approach to protect the health of the Great Lakes, Representative Miller (R-Michigan) thanked the Army Corps of Engineers for their recent study on how to manage invasive species in the Great Lakes, and expressed her concern about the lack of call to immediate action to protect the Great Lakes from the […]

MRAA is reviewing a Discussion Draft of the important Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which provides flexibility to fishery managers and stability for anglers. The Discussion Draft was issued by the House Natural resources Committee. MRAA expects the Committee will introduce the bill in the next several months. Magnuson-Stevens sets fishing plans to re-stock […]

In an expected notice published on January 2, 2014, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration informed the public of its intent to make significant changes to nautical chart printing and distribution. The notice indicated that NOAA wants to expand navigation products and adjust its role in the production of nautical charts necessary for safe navigation. […]

Forward progress was made yesterday, in our opposition against an increase in the ethanol blend, with  Senator Feinstein’s floor statement that introduced the Cord Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act. This legislation would eliminate the Federal corn ethanol mandate from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Please find the floor statement and a copy of the Corn Ethanol […]

MRAA joined with an impressive list of 43 other organizations in a letter to the House Budget Committee, as it went to conference on a Budget Resolution, to consider a strategy to reduce spending by promoting privatization of certain government services. Privatization includes vouchers, asset sales, contracting out, divestiture, franchising, concessions, and public-private partnerships as […]