MINNEAPOLIS — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas thanks the 245 Members of the House of Representatives who stood for small businesses everywhere by passing H.R. 4078, a comprehensive regulatory reform bill that streamlines the time consuming rulemaking and permitting process, brings transparency to rules issued by federal agencies, and prohibits agencies from issuing […]
Tag: Legislative Updates
Congress looks at repeal of Estate Tax
Congress is busy looking at repeal of the Estate (Death) Tax. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) is taking the lead in the House of Representatives and issued a press release on July 26 to release a study by the Joint Economic Committee Republican staff called “Estate Tax Fails on All Fronts.” The Estate Tax threshold of […]
Phone conference on Death Tax scheduled for today
New Study: “Cost & Consequences of the Federal Estate Tax” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Kevin Brady, the author of the House bill to End the Death Tax Permanently, is releasing a major study Wednesday morning from the Joint Economic Committee Republicans that proves the Death tax is harmful and ineffective taxation that hinders entrepreneurship, hurts […]
Availability of funds for small business loans to increase?
If the U.S. Federal Reserve follows the lead of the Bank of England, it could help small business get loans from participating banks. Under such a program, the Federal Reserve would give banks very low interest rates on loans to small businesses and home mortgages. This could have a significant impact on marine retailers as […]
No changes made to important boating fund
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 […]
Secretary Seblius issues letter on Affordable Care Act
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 […]
MRAA joins coalition to oppose biofuel policies
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 […]
Congress reviews Longshore and BAT issues
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 […]
MRAA launches Internet survey
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 […]
MRAA supports boating safety along southern border
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 […]