We are the federal political action committee of the recreational boating industry, promoting your business interests in Congress. BoatPAC supports the election of candidates to the United States Congress who are strong advocates for recreational boating and ensures that our priorities are protected. All contributions to BoatPAC go to candidates for federal office and are distributed on a nonpartisan basis.
BoatPAC promotes advocacy and engagement in the political process. We encourage voluntary contributions by educating and mobilizing BoatPAC eligible individuals to support candidates for political office who champion recreational boating issues in Washington, D.C.
Eliminating Tariffs – In October 2021, the United States and European Union reached a deal to drop retaliatory tariffs against American boats entering Europe. In March, the United Kingdom followed suit and lifted their own retaliatory tariffs against U.S. made boats. These 25 percent tariffs had been hampering American boat sales across the Atlantic since 2018, resulting in up to 50 percent reduction in exports and losses of hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
Access and Conservation Funding – Another major victory for our industry last Congress was securing
$764 million in appropriations for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Everglades restoration, and for National Marine Sanctuaries. Securing and properly utilizing conservation and infrastructure funding to preserve America’s greatest treasures will allow for boaters to enjoy our nation’s waters for generations to come.
Bolstering the Supply of Semiconductors – One of our biggest wins was the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS Act) – bipartisan legislation which provided up to $54 billion to fund semiconductor manufacturing back home, reducing our dependence on unreliable global supply chains. With marine manufacturers innovating on all fronts to deliver more advanced, efficient, and safer products, this bill will help meet our industry’s growing demand for semiconductors.
WRDA
– Infrastructure projects critical to recreational boating are often overlooked by the federal agencies responsible for handling them. The passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) contained funding and prioritization of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects aimed at recreational boating and angling.
BoatPAC is managed by the following volunteers from the recreational boating industry:
Clarke Smith – Trident Marine Managers – Chair
John Swick – Waterview Marinas – Vice Chair
Melanie Ashby – MariCorp US
Jason Blackburn – Faria Beede
Dave Briggs – Wayzata Marine
Natalie Carrera – Indmar
Raul Chacon – MG+M The Law Firm
Michele Goldsmith – Soundings Trade Only
Jim Hardin – Grady White
Charlie Johnson – Maverick Boat Group
Joe Lewis – Mt. Dora Boating Center and Marina
Dave Marlow – Brunswick
Ellen McCarthy– Polaris
Dana Russikoff – Rodan, LLC
Larry Russo – MarineMax
Mark Tracy – Yamaha
Mick Webber – Marine Development Inc.
Boating United brings the recreational boating community together to shape policies that affect our industry and our favorite pastimes. Sign up today to join us.
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