Grassroots Day of Action

Washington State Wineries and Wine Industry

As part of our craft beverage alcohol coalition’s efforts to secure more aid for the beverage alcohol industries, we need your help. Today we are holding a national “Day of Action”to contact House Members and Senators. We are asking that you send a note to Congress to let them know that our industries need help. It is very simple and will only take a minute of your time.

Please go to this website (Covid-19 Day of Action) and enter your zip code to generate an automatic letter asking your House Member and Senators for aid.  The Washington Wine Institute joins our national association leaders at WineAmerica in asking for the following:

1. Suspension of all federal excise taxes on domestic and imported alcohol products, effective January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.
2. Enact a permanent extension of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (H.R. 1175/S. 362), which now has bipartisan support from 74 senators and 343 representatives and would provide certainty amidst economic instability and help ensure craft producers respond to economic duress and withstand this crisis.
3. Approve additional funding to support no- and low-interest loan and grant programs administered by the Department of the Treasury and Small Business Administration, including the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
4. Authorize the Department of the Treasury to create a Workforce Stabilization Fund for the hospitality and travel sectors that will allow distilleries, breweries, wineries, and cideries to keep workers employed, maintain operations, and meet financial obligations.
5. Create temporary tax incentives that encourage consumers to return to on-premise dining and drinking establishments when public health officials determine it’s safe.
6. Encourage the Administration to suspend tariffs on beer, wine, and distilled spirits products.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to WineAmerica’s Vice President Michael Kaiser at mkaiser@wineamerca.org. Our thanks to WineAmerica for leading the federal effort and coordinating this national day of action for all Washington State wineries.

Thank you for your help!