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 […]

Small business optimism, as measured by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Index of Small Business Optimism, dropped a tenth of a point in May, thus remaining at a historic low. This reading of 94.4 is “consistent with the sub-par performance of GDP and employment growth,” according to NFIB. Business owners’ expectations for future […]

If your business employs workers that hold a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), you may want to learn more about a new temporary exemption from TWIC regulations regarding card expiration and replacement. The Department of Homeland Security has issued this exemption while it seeks comment on card reader requirements and deployment requirement plans. Click here […]

This is a Statement for the Record of Mr. Matthew A. Gruhn, President, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, Before the House Committee on Small Business on Planning for the Death Tax: Can Small Businesses Survive? Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access. The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas greatly appreciates the opportunity to submit a […]

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas led a group of 14 national and state marine trades associations in strong opposition to the proposed National Oceans Policy developed by a White House Commission. In a letter to the Chairman and ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, the group said a national oceans policy should […]

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is submitting letters to the U.S. Senate and has launched a marine retailer grass roots campaign to kill the Death Tax. MRAA supports a forthcoming bill to be introduced by Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) to permanently repeal the Death Tax. MRAA has long worked this issue and […]