Organizers of the American Boating Congress, which will be held May 15-17 in Washington, D.C., say this year will offer new opportunities to get boating’s message heard on Capitol Hill.

“We’re trying to take advantage of the fact that we have a new president and a new Congress,” says Nicole Vasilaros, vice president of federal and legal affairs for the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “All ABCs, we think, are important, but when it’s a fresh start both in the administration and on Capitol Hill, it’s an opportunity to tell our story and to educate the 62 new members of Congress. Hopefully our message is going to resonate with new ears and a new perspective in 2017. That’s the excitement of it.”

The NMMA and other industry groups have joined with a newly formed Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable to highlight the economic impact of outdoor recreation and become unified around issues that affect outdoor recreation, such as infrastructure improvements and access to public lands and waters.

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