Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) has filed two amendments, one exempting auto dealers only and one exempting auto, RV, and boat dealers, from the potentially onerous Senate Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (BCFP) Bill. The BCFP language is similar to the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) already passed by the House of Representatives. The CFPA contains exemption language for auto dealers only.

It is anticipated the Senate will debate and vote on its bill by Thursday night, May 13.

Senator Brownback will offer the amendment that includes boat and RV dealers only if he hears from Democratic Senators voicing their support of the bill. With support from Democratic Senators obviously vital to the successful passage of the Brownback amendment and its final inclusion of an exemption for boat dealers, MRAA asks dealers to contact their Senators in several key states immediately by calling the general switchboard number, 202-224-3121, of the U.S. Senate and ask to speak to your Senator's staff person working on the BCFP.

Key Democratic contacts include the Senators from the following states, Indiana, Arkansas, Maryland, Michigan, Delaware, Rhode Island, Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, Colorado, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Missouri, Connecticut, and Nebraska.

MRAA suggests you use the following talking points in your discussion.

• Boat dealers are not the problem being addressed in the BCFP. Boat dealers already are suffering from significant sales reductions caused in part by the banking crisis. As MRAA understands the BCFP, the bill is designed to further regulate the banking industry due the problems that caused the recession and the decline in boat sales.
• Boat dealers are not banks. The Senate bill language should exclude boat dealers who sell merchandise and are clearly not banks and do not provide financing for the products they sell.
• Don't do anything that could further hurt our fragile economic recovery. The boating industry is just seeing the beginning of an economic recovery with credit still near impossible to obtain for many consumers from many banks. MRAA asks don't make it harder for consumer to buy a boat by significantly increasing the reporting requirements of boat dealers not involved in providing financing of boats.

Ask Your Democratic Senator to Call Senator Sam Brownback to Support Including Boat Dealers in His Amendment to the BCFP and Ask Your Senator to Support the Brownback Amendment. Thanks for your support. Time is critical with a potential floor vote coming any time this week.

If you need help in contacting your Democratic Senator email MRAA's Washington Representative, Larry Innis, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .