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26 MAY 2016 FOGHORN HOW PVA BENEFITS YOU By Jen Wilk Director Public Affairs and Development PVA Working For You Members Advocate for Key Industry Issues at PVA Congressional Fly-In Event A s part of PVAs Annual Congressional Fly-In event this month PVA members met with members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. While there PVAmembers advocated for key policy changes that impact the passenger vessel industry and your business. I n i t s s i x t h y e a r t h e P VA Congressional Fly-In has grown to include PVAmembers from all over the country representing fourteen states. Attendees included first-time partici- pants as well as seasoned advocates and met with 25 House and Senate offices. Reflecting on the Congressional Fly-In first-time participant Ginny Mininger Chesapeake Marine Tours dba Watermark in Annapolis MD stated It was a great experience and a wonderful way to see the Association at work. PVA members advocacy efforts at the Congressional Fly-In meetings over the past few years were an important part of obtaining the change to the survival craft law. This signifi- cant relief from the one-size-fits-all requirement was a major legislative milestone and highlights the impor- tance of the in-person meetings of the Congressional Fly-In. As constituents business leaders and job creators PVA members have the opportunity to provide valuable real-world insights into how issues impacts their business and commu- nicate this directly to lawmakers. Members of Congress value meeting with PVA operators as constituents. Its important for PVA to continue fostering these ongoing relationships with Members of Congress to keep advancing the legislative initiatives of the passenger vessel industry. During these meetings PVA members discussed the top issues impacting PVA members and their businesses around the country. First they thanked Congress for passing the Coast GuardAuthorization Bill and the vital survival craft changes that were encompassed in that law. Additionally they urged Congress to continue to support the Coast Guard resources par- ticularly in its marine safety mission activities. PVA members urged Congress to provide relief from an unneces- sary regulatory paperwork mandate which would for the first time require passenger vessels to carry official logbooks. This statutory change was made in the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Act and PVA members argued that there is no demonstrated need or value added from this require- ment only creating redundant record- keeping and paperwork and therefore it should be eliminated from the law. PVAmembers advocated in support of the smaller vessel exemption from the Environmental ProtectionAgencys Vessel General Permit VGP for inci- dental discharges. Congress has the opportunity to continue on a previous statutory exemption for smaller vessels those less than 79 feet in length from the VGP. PVA members would like to see this continued on and even made permanent beyond its scheduled ex- piration of December 2017. Passage of S. 373 the Vessel Incidental Discharges Act would accomplish this exemption. Thank you to everyone who participated in the annual PVA Congressional Fly-In. This event is a critical part of PVAs ongoing advocacy efforts in Washington speaking out to lawmakers on your behalf and working for you. n PVA Members Ginny Mininger Carolyn Horgan Bob Cox and Gordon Lobel. PVA Congressional Fly-In By the Numbers 25 Meetings with Key House and Senate Offices 14 States Represented by Members 8 First Time Participants 6th Annual Event 1 Day on Capitol Hill Advancing the Passenger Vessel Industry