Stakeholders meet with policymakers during ABC 2019
Bboating industry stakeholders gathered on day two of the American Boating Congress (ABC) 2019.
The day began with a comprehensive briefing on issues that are top of mind for the industry: trade, recreation, conservation, and blue-green infrastructure. The morning session also included a panel on the recreational boating and fishing community’s successful efforts to get the Modern Fish Act passed into law late last year.
Before attendees set out to Capitol Hill for a day of meetings with lawmakers and Congressional staffers, the NMMA team provided a refresher on best practices and approaches for being an effective industry advocate. Throughout the day, stakeholders met with nearly 200 congressional offices, including the following members of Congress:
- Representative Austin Scott
- Representative Bill Keating
- Representative Billy Long
- Representative Brendan Boyle
- Representative Brian Mast
- Representative Bruce Westerman
- Representative Charlie Crist
- Representative Chris Pappas
- Representative Chuck Fleischmann
- Representative Daniel Webster
- Representative David Rouzer
- Representative Donald Payne
- Representative Garret Graves
- Representative Glenn Grothman
- Representative Haley Stevens
- Representative Jackie Walorski
- Representative Jim Banks
- Representative Jim Hagedorn
- Representative Jim Langevin
- Representative John Katko
- Representative John Moolenaar
- Representative Lloyd Doggett
- Representative Tim Burchett
- Senator Dan Sullivan
- Senator Doug Jones
- Senator Jack Reed
- Senator James Inhofe
- Senator Joseph Manchin
- Senator Marco Rubio
- Senator Tammy Baldwin
- Senator Thom Tillis
- Senator Todd Young
The day was capped off with a recreational boating and angling reception for BoatPAC supporters at District Winery at DC’s historic Navy Yard, a bustling waterfront neighborhood with several boats in sight. Attendees had an opportunity to network with key Congressional figures, who also took the time to discuss top issues with their constituencies.
During the third and final day of ABC, the plenary session featured a panel discussion with Bret Baier, FOX News chief political anchor and host of the Special Report with Bret Baier, and preeminent political strategists Adrienne Elrod and Kevin Madden. The panel offered a discussion on the shifting political landscape approaching 2020.
