Ann Baldree, Vice President of Sales, represented Chaparral and Robalo Boats at the American Boating Congress in Washington D. C. May 5-May 7th. Accompanied by Dave Briggs from Wayzata Marine and Joe Hoffmaster from Hoffmaster’s Marine, both MRAA Board Members, they visited Capitol Hill to discuss relevant legislative issues with Georgia Congressman Austin Scott. Congressman Scott is an avid sportsman and boater and is sympathetic to the issues affecting the marine industry. The primary topics on the agenda included: Ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard, Business Activity Tax Simplification Act, Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, Recreational Fishing and the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization and Invasive Species.

There was a record turn-out for this year’s session of the Boating Congress. Over one-half of all Congressmen and Senators were visited by NMMA and MRAA members throughout the country to discuss the legislative impact of their voting decisions and the economic impact of recreational boating.

Recreational boating is not just a leisure activity, but an industry which supports U.S. based manufacturing with $121 billion in direct/indirect/induced economic value. The marine industry creates 338,000 U.S. marine industry jobs and drives $35 billion in annual spending. 88 million Americans went boating last year. Boating is uniquely American. 93% of the boats sold in the U.S. are made in the U.S. The participants at the American Boating Congress had a unified message to deliver to Washington about the significance of our industry.

Logo courtesy American Boating Congress